Do You Believe in Surprise Endings
by rooster dawn
Summary: Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? Author’s note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again
1. Chapter 1

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright 

infringement intended. 

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part one Is it good news or bad news

1500 hours

Friday

5 May 2006

Jag Headquarters

Harm was sitting behind his desk in his office. He had just returned from a meeting with the General Creswell. It seemed that a new command was being formed on the West Coast in Southern California, The Joint Legal Service Center, Southwest. You'll be stationed in San Diego.

At first Harm was excited to hear the news. He thought it would be rather nice to be stationed back home. It sounded like an ideal command position for him. It had been a navy policy that command positions usually went to officers nearing twenty years.

He figured his record was as good as anyone else's in the JAG world. He had many years in the fleet as well as time in the courtroom. He was considered very good in both areas. He also was an Academy graduate. Academy graduates were highly sought after for Command positions.

Unfortunately he was disappointed when the General told him that he would be going TAD to San Diego for three months to assist a Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie in setting up the new command that would be comprised of naval and marine personnel.

He remembered Sarah MacKenzie. He had met her a couple of times over the years. The first time it was just after he had received his first DFC from President Clinton in ninety-six. He and the Admiral were returning to their sedan when they met up with her in the rose garden.

He was quite shocked when he saw her. She looked so beautiful standing there in her marine greens. She was a ghostly vision. She looked so much like his Diane, the woman he had loved since his academy days and was hoping to marry. 

Unfortunately, she had been killed by a fellow officer she was serving with, he was afraid his career would have been destroyed because he had been sexually harassing her. 

Then he had the gall to kill himself afterwards before he was arrested. Why then did he have to kill his Diane? Not only had he ruined his life and Diane's, but the killer's life too. He didn't know if it was possible if he could ever love again.

They had gone back to the Admiral's office for a briefing. A very important document had been stolen. The CIA believed the people who stole the document were former marines. 

For some reason they needed a marine lawyer to be involved in the investigation. The investigation involved former marines near a marine base. The hardcore marines never like the navy investigating their own. 

Since headquarters didn't have a marine stationed at headquarters at the time they had to bring her in to assist with the investigation.

Since they weren't leaving Washington until the next day, he managed to convince her to come to his apartment for dinner. He promised her a meal only a true marine would love. No, it wasn't beans and franks or trail mix.

Sarah was so beautiful. He thought he had another chance to love someone like he had with Diane. He utilized all his charms and his flyboy smile to get her to go to bed with him. 

It turned out to be a night of hot and heavy, passionate lovemaking. At first when they started making love he thought he was making love to Diane again, but it wasn't long before he knew he was making love to another woman, a woman name Sarah MacKenzie. So familiar yet so different. It was a fantastic experience. 

The next day he found out the real reason why they had brought in Sarah MacKenzie for this investigation. The man they were after was her Uncle Matt O'Hara, a former Colonel in the Marines. They were right to bring her in. She knew exactly where to find the rogue former marine officer. 

Fortunately he was able to convince the Colonel to give back the document. The trial would give the Colonel the forum he needed to state his piece. And he would be able to get him off with a light sentence of four years.

A week later and she was gone. He wouldn't see her again for a long time. He was disappointed. He had hoped that she would stay at headquarters and become his new partner. 

She was so beautiful, intelligent, and non-combatant unlike his current partner Meg Austin, who like to argue every decision he made. He really believed Sarah was his soul mate, the woman he was meant to be with, but he supposed that it wasn't meant to be. 

The Admiral didn't want any marines stationed at headquarters. He said he didn't need the headaches that came with marines. He would have to continue working with Meg. He wondered if he would ever see Sarah again.

In fact he didn't see Sarah again until many years later. It wasn't until after he had returned to flying. She was still a very beautiful woman. He wished that somehow she had been able to stay.

Maybe then all the heartaches he had suffered through over the last ten years wouldn't have happened, one failed marriage and another where his wife died. A few one nightstands with former coworkers, besides the many others he had met in the local watering holes. 

Maybe he would have had more than one child in his life now. Maybe he would be happy with his life. Maybe ...

His resentment began to grow as he remembered that she, Sarah MacKenzie, was three years younger than he was. She had been on the fast track with early promotions throughout her career. His promotion to Lieutenant Commander had been delayed for two years after his ramp strike and with the change in his occupation.

She had been promoted a year early to Major. They were the same pay grade with him having only a couple months of seniority. Then a few years later she had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel two years early and more than three years before he had. 

He wondered if it had something to do with his leaving Jag? The Admiral hadn't been very happy with him at the time. He felt that Harm was deserting him. 

But he was returning to the fleet. That should have meant something to the Admiral, a man who had been a SEAL and served many years with the fleet.

He wondered why she and not him? He had what he thought was a stellar career. It had shocked him to see silver oak leaves on her collar when he finally saw her again. Now she had her eagles. Where was the justice in the world? 

Why had her career taken off and his career floundered? He sighed as he realized that he had only four more months before he had his twenty years in. He had hoped to make Captain and if God smiled kindly on him, maybe even make Admiral someday before he retired.

But he knew those dreams were dead and buried now. He wasn't going to make Captain. He had been passed over by someone much younger and who must have more to offer the navy than he did. 

His career was over. There was no sense in worry about it. He would go to San Diego and assist Colonel Sarah MacKenzie set up her command. He would spend some quality time with his mother in La Jolla before calling it a career.

He would decide while he was there what he would do with the rest of his life. He didn't know what that would be. Would it be a lawyer in some large law firm on the East or West Coast? 

Or he could try his hand operating a small airplane business? He didn't know the answer, but he figured he would before he retired.

He began to think back on the other women in his life. As he remembered first there was Caitlin Pike. He worked with her for a year before she left to join the fleet in the Pacific and later NCIS. 

He remembered he met up with her shortly in Japan after she left headquarters. They went to Hawaii and spent a wonderful week making love. It had been great being with her. She was one of the few women who actually stood up to him. She gave as good as she got.

Then there was Meg Austin, his partner of four years. She was such a sweet girl, always looking for some way to please him. He definitely knew how to take advantage of her eagerness.

He knew Meg was attracted to him and probably wanted more from him, but he didn't feel the same about her. His life had been destroyed when Diane died. If he hadn't met Sarah, he probably wouldn't have been able to love another woman ever again.

Damm, there she was in his thoughts again. What kind of hold did this woman have on him? Yeah, he had made loved to her each time he had had the opportunity, but she had never been a part of his life like Meg and Caitlin had been.

Why was he thinking so much about her? He doubted that Sarah even remembered who he was. He was just an egotistical flyboy to her. He was good enough to have a good time with, but not good enough to stay around and marry.

Stop it! Stop thinking about her like that, you were thinking about Meg. She was probably the only woman you knew that really cared for you, loved you. You kept her at arm's length the whole time you worked with her, that is until you decided to leave Jag to fly.

What a time that was! Everything in his life was shot to hell. 

He remembered back to a time his best friend in flight school, Luke Pendry, had died in a training accident. Shortly there after he began seeing his wife, Annie, whenever he was in town. He convinced her to move east a year later.

She moved to Baltimore. It wasn't long thereafter that they were married. She had a boy name Josh who he loved and loved to do things with. He thought everything was great between them.

But he didn't understand why Annie didn't want to have another child. He pleaded with her for two years, but she said she wasn't ready for another baby. She was still new at her company and needed to establish herself more.

That led him to a state of depression. There was only one thing that could get him out of his depression, that was flying. In this case it meant flying in his Stearman, Sarah.

Ah ... There's that name again. He had remembered talking to Sarah when he was on the Patrick Henry. She had been leery of the idea of flying. She didn't see why any sane person would want to fly in a fighter jet, to go so fast, to pull so many G's.

Just the thought of it left her feeling nauseated. He told her about his biplane Sarah, that he had named for his grandmother. She thought he was telling her tall tales just to suck her in.

The plane was the type they flew during the first big war and stop shortly before the second big war. It had an open cockpit. It didn't fly very fast. She would love the feel of the wind blowing in her hair and the sun in her face. He would even let her take the stick and do some stunts.

She had given him one of her special smiles as she watched him talk about flying. She promised to take him up on his offer the next time she was in Washington the same time as he was.

But that day never came. He never saw Sarah again. Well that is he was going to see her again in a few weeks. He didn't know whether he should feel happy or sad at that prospect.

God! Why was he still thinking about her? He thought he was thinking about Annie, ... or was it Meg. He whacked himself a few times in the head to get his mind back on track.

Annie, when he told her he was getting his eyes fixed, started screaming. She knew there was only one reason why he was having his eyes fix, he was going back to flying. She told him she didn't want to be married to an aviator again.

She had been married to one, Luke, for eight years and only saw him for two. She didn't want to go through that life again. He had thought that even though she might not be happy about the idea of him returning to the fleet to fly, she would have accepted it. 

He went ahead with the laser abrasion surgery and she left soon thereafter. Divorce papers arrived in his office two weeks later. He hated the idea, but what could he do? He wanted or should he say needed to be flying again.

He needed the rush. He needed to feel alive again. He had been a desk jockey for too long. He needed to feel the ocean under his feet, to smell the salt ocean air, and the smell of the diesel in his lungs.

Unfortunately Annie wasn't the only one that was unhappy with his change in occupation. The Admiral was livid. He had been grooming Harm, or so he said. The Admiral was making sure he met the right people and made the right connections.

The Admiral hated the idea that three years of hard work was being thrown away so Harm could be a kid again. At Harm's age going back to a carrier was a dead end. There wasn't going to be any promotions. If he did get one it would be hard earned and come with a price.

He remembered Meg had come to his apartment a couple of nights before he left. She wanted to wish him luck in his new endeavor and that she was going to miss him. He cooked them dinner, but before the night was over they started making out like two love starved teenagers.

Hell, Annie had been more than a bit frigid the last six months before she left. In her mind if they didn't have sex, she wasn't going to get pregnant. So when Meg gave all the signs, he took full advantage of the situation.

They made passionate love all night long before saying their goodbyes. That was the last time he had seen or heard from her. He wondered whatever became of her. He hated the idea he was the kind of person that didn't keep in touch with departed friends.

For some reason that he couldn't explain, it was out of sight out of mind with him. It was like they didn't exist anymore. He had met many people during his time in the service, many of whom he had been very close to, but he never seemed able to keep in contact with any of them after they left.

Maybe it had something to do with losing Diane the way he had. She had been murdered the night before he was to go away with her and discuss their future together. He never had the chance to say goodbye to her or say I love you.


	2. Chapter 2

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part two Meg gets the news, thinks about the past

Thursday

11 May 2006

Meg Austin was excited about going to San Diego. She had been stationed outside the continental United States for the last six years, the last couple of years in Hawaii. She would be moving to San Diego with Colonel Sarah MacKenzie to her new command.

She was excited because she was going to be the Colonel's Chief of Staff. She considered that a great honor. Along with the move she received a promotion to full commander, a long overdue promotion. God she was so excited.

The Colonel had told her that her old friend Caitlin Pike would be assigned there too. She would be teaching investigation techniques and computer skills to all the new jags that would be coming their way.

She also heard that the Oh Mighty Great One, the Navy Poster Boy, Harmon Rabb Jr. himself would be making an appearance for a few months to help them set up the new command. She was looking forward to seeing him. It had been a long, long time since she had seen him last.

It had been a night to remember, a night she thought would never happen. They made love all night long. Some would think it was wishful thinking, but she had a daughter, Heather, that was proof of their night together.

Not that she blamed anyone if they didn't believe her. Everyone knew he had been smitten with Caitlin while he worked with her, but Caitlin had always pushed him away. As far as she knew though, they had never spent any time with each other the same way he had with her.

Of course there was Diane, his Academy sweetheart, the woman he had been planning on asking to marry him. Unfortunately she had been brutally murdered. Harm had been quite depressed for a very long time afterwards.

Then one day he seemed happy again. She didn't know what had happened to cause the change in his behavior, but she was glad to see him happy again. She had been on assignment to Naples for a couple of weeks. When she had returned Harm was back to being the great guy she had always known.

She thought she might have had a chance of having a relationship with him then, but unfortunately, a woman name Annie Pendry, who was married to his best friend at flight school, had moved to Baltimore after her husband had died.

Harm had decided he wanted to be with Annie and not with her. He married Annie a short time later. She was very disappointed. Not only was she not going to get Harm to share a bed with her, but she wasn't going to spend any off duty time with him either.

They never worked late together over dinner after he married Annie. He was out the door at 1700 hours sharp every night. She was left to go home alone each night to an empty apartment and eat take out or leftovers.

Then it happened. One day Harm got his eyes fixed. He decided he wanted to return to flying tomcats. Annie was dead set against it, not that she could blamed her, she didn't want to see Harm leave either.

After four years of working with Harm he was leaving. She didn't know how or what to do to keep him there at headquarters. If he wouldn't stay there for Annie, his wife, whom would he stay for? She knew there was nothing she could do.

As it turned out flying was the most important thing in his life, more important than Annie or her son Josh. She wasted no time in filing for a divorce. Harm didn't even contest it. That surprised her because she knew Harm loved Josh very much. Annie moved out and was never seen again.

That's when she finally got lucky with Harm. Several days after Annie left and a few days before Harm left to fly, he invited her over for a goodbye dinner. She gave him a goodbye sendoff to make any woman proud and he gave her the greatest gift a man could ever give a woman, a child.

Now in a few days her daughter would get the greatest gift she could ever give her, the father her daughter longed for. How long that would be for she didn't know. She didn't know whether Harm would be staying in the area or not.

Would he be reassigned to San Diego too? Would he be returning to Washington after the command staff was completed? Would he even be staying in the Navy? After all he would have his twenty years in soon. He had only been recently promoted to a Commander.

Did he even have a future in the Navy? As far as she knew Harm's name wasn't even on the last list of candidates for Captain. Would he ever be? He certainly had the pedigree, the academy education, the combat experience and the right awards. But did he have the connections?

Did his leaving Jag six years ago burned the only guarantee supporter he had to garner the support he needed to reach Captain? Did he even care anymore? These were the thoughts that consumed Meg as she thought about being reunited with Harm, even if it was only for a short time.

She wondered how Harm would take to the idea that he had a daughter, a daughter with her. Would he be angry that she hadn't told him? But why would he? In all the years since she last saw him, did he even try to contact her once?

She didn't have to think about that long before coming to the conclusion that he hadn't. He hadn't cared enough about her to wonder how she was doing or where she was. She didn't owe him anything.

She thought about her daughter. Would he even care that she was his? She hoped that Harm could find a way to be happy about having a daughter. Her little girl deserved to have a father that loved her.

Harm began thinking about his time away from Jag. The time he returned to flying. Despite all the arguments his friends and CO gave him about returning to the fleet, what it would cost him, Harm knew it was the right thing to do for him.

He couldn't understand why anyone thought it wrong. They were in the Navy, dammit. They were supposed to be serving on warships, not getting soft and fat sitting behind a desk. It wasn't his fault that he hadn't serve on a warship for nine years, his eyes had been bad.

He had always been taught that real men serve on ships, scabies served on land and behind desks. It had been great being back aboard an aircraft carrier. Everyday he would wake up to the fresh smell of the ocean air mixed in the right proportion with Jet fuel.

How could life be any better? Well, longer bunks with wider mattresses would have been nice. Maybe even put a new mattress in the bunk every once in awhile. His mattress seemed to be thirty years old. Fresh vegetables instead of can ones would have been nice too.

But the biggest thing that amazed him the most was the cockiness of the young pilots. He wondered if he had ever been that cocky. They were all so eager to fly, to be in combat. They really didn't seem to know what was really important.

Hitting the three wire every time just wasn't one of them. He was glad that over time he was able to get the younger pilots to understand what was really important. Unfortunately it took an over eager Lieutenant itching to kill someone in combat that probably educated them the best.

The kid had been very brash, excited, and highly motivated, but lacked the real maturity to be in a cockpit. He was brought up on charges one day for reckless flying and killing a truckload of friendlies.

It took all his lawyering skills to get him off, but in the end the pilot was removed from the cockpit due to on going poor judgment that the CAG had hope he would eventually grow out of.

The trial hadn't been all bad. Sarah MacKenzie had been the Jag officer who was sent to investigate the incident and eventually to prosecute the Lieutenant. He was quite happy to see her until he saw the silver oak leafs on her collar.

He didn't understand how that was possible since he had three years on her and his record had been top notched the last three years. But as disappointed as he was, he wasn't going to let it ruin the opportunity to spend some quality time alone with her.

She was there for about ten days conducting the investigation and prosecuting the case. He remembered the nights he would get her alone on one of the isolated watch decks to watch the sunsets and jets take off.

He even got her to take a ride with him in a tomcat. It was an experience she never wanted to experience again. She might have a strong enough stomach to eat marine dirt dog sea rations, but she didn't have the stomach to handle major G forces.

He remembered spending a few nights in her guest quarters making quiet, but very passionate love. She was like the energizer bunny. She never got tired and she never seemed to need any sleep. It had been a great ten days.

He had spent the next few months wondering what it would have been like to be married to a woman like her. Sure she could be stubborn and bullheaded like any marine he knew, but her smile seemed to find a way to melt his heart and lift his spirits.

She was his intellectual equal. She needed to learn how to argue more passionately in the courtroom like she made love in the bedroom. In his mind he could see spending the rest of his life with her and having many babies with her.

But for that to happen he would have had to leave the fleet and to return to Jag, to a desk. At that time in his life he didn't want to do that. He was flying his beloved tomcats. It was what he had wanted to do since he was a little boy.

His father was a pilot. His grandfather was a pilot. He was a pilot. Everything was as it should be. He still had a few more years to fly before settling down with a woman again.

There would be plenty of time later to become a desk jockey again. But for the then and now he would be a jet jockey. It was his first love, a love he hoped would never die. If it was meant to be, he would see her again, or so he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part three Another crash, back to flying a desk

Over the next week Harm thought about what had happened next. He flew for a few years, receiving a couple more of DFC medals and a Silver Star. But not long after receiving his last DFC, the world that he knew and love was about to end.

He had been on routine patrol over Iraq when a stray missile hit his tomcat. He was lucky to make it back to friendly territory before his tomcat crashed. He was flying too low when he finally ejected.

He wasn't high enough for his parachute to fully deploy, thus his parachute wasn't able to fully open and offer him its full benefits. He suffered severe injuries requiring him to be hospitalized for more than two months before he was able to begin rehab.

He was ordered to undergo counseling while he was in the hospital. It was there that he met Lieutenant Commander Jordan Parker. He worked with her over the next few months to work through some problems he was having, including the lost of his father when he was only five years old.

It wasn't long after he was released from the hospital that they began dating. He returned to Jag after his rehab was completed. Within a year he and Jordan were married. He was happy, happier than he had ever been before.

He was finally over the lost of past relationships and the lost of his father. He was able to forgive his mother for moving on and marrying Frank.

He talked with Jordan about having children of their own and within a year they were the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl. They named her Cassandra, but chose to call her Sandy since they both loved the ocean and spending time at the sandy beaches.

It was his returned to Jag that finally allowed Harm the opportunity to receive his promotion to full Commander in the year 2003. He got lucky when they decided to backdate it to the first of the year 2002.

A year later Jordan was gone. She was driving home late one night from the hospital where she had been treating a patient. She hit an icy patch on the road. She lost control of the car before it skidded off the road and into a tree.

She was dead before they could get her to the hospital. The grief he suffered from her death was mind numbing. He didn't know how he would be able to go on. If it hadn't been for his little girl Sandy and his mother, he might have shut it down completely.

Sandy was his lifeline to reality. She kept him focus on the here and now, not on the past. It took a while, but he managed to overcome Jordan's death.

Now the real question was, how was he going to go on with his life when he didn't have a future in the Navy. If Jordan had still been alive he would have continued on. It wouldn't have mattered as much because he would have been happy.

As long as no one kicked him out he would stay in the navy. Promotion to Captain might have been later than he wanted, but it would have come. As long as he had Jordan it didn't matter when.

Now though, he didn't know whether he wanted to practice law anymore. He didn't know if he even wanted to fly. All he knew was, going home and being with his mother might be the best thing for him and Sandy right now.

She would be there for him, support him, and take care of him. It was a good time for him to go home and maybe find himself.

Sarah returns to her own life

When Sarah got the news from General Creswell that he would be sending Commander Harmon Rabb to San Diego to assist her in setting up her new command, her mind journeyed back in a time warp, back to the day she first met him.

It had been a wonderful beautiful day. She met him in of all places the White House Rose Garden. It had set the mood between them that wouldn't be broken until she left Washington more than a week later.

When she first met him it was like he was looking deep inside her trying to find her soul. It was like they were two long lost souls that had journeyed long and far before finally finding each other again after so many years.

She didn't know what to think. She did like the package. He was a man she could look up to and admire. Yeah, just what he needed, another woman. But she didn't care. He was special, he was someone she really wanted to get to know.

It wasn't very often she found someone who was sufficiently tall enough where she didn't have to worry about wearing heels. Most men she met didn't like it when she was as tall or taller than they were. It hurt their poor self-esteem.

Harm was quite tall, very good looking with dreamy blue eyes. And his smile, oh god was it perfect. It made her insides become tingly, left her knees feeling weak. It was even hard to breathe if he smiled too long.

He had taken her back to his apartment that day. She had expected to see a luxurious well kept apartment, what she found instead blew her mind. It was a disaster area. The whole place had been torn up. It should have been condemn.

He had told her he was fixing it up himself because he was good with his hands. She found out later that night just how good he was with his hands. After he cooked her a great meal they settled down in the only place they could, the bedroom.

It wasn't long before clothes were flying and a night of hot steamy nighttime activities was taking place. She couldn't believe that he was so good or was it because she hadn't enjoyed any nighttime activities in such a long time.

They worked well together to complete their mission of finding her Uncle Matt and getting him to return the sacred document. He returned to Washington where he got to say his piece before being sentence to Leavenworth for four years.

Harm had made a wonderful passionate closing argument that had swayed the jury to give him a light sentence. They honestly believed that Uncle Matt had done the wrong thing for all the right reasons.

Unfortunately after the trial she had to return to Los Angeles. It seemed the Admiral didn't like having marines around except to do the dirty work. She was sorry to hear that.

Her brief experience working with Harm made her long for the opportunity to stay and work with him full time. She knew she could learn a lot from Harm, he was very good. Add to the fact it would have been nice to have someone in her life.

As it turned out it wasn't all too bad. A few months later after she noticed her uniforms getting tight and a ten-pound weight gain, she found out she was pregnant. She had a not so little boy she named Henry. He looked just like Harm.

A few years later she was transferred to Hawaii and earned a promotion. She was given the chief of staff position as well as being in charge of any investigation that occurred in the Pacific Theater.

It wasn't long after that she met up with Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin. She had worked with Harm for four years. Meg had filled her in on Harm's current activities. She was surprised to learn that Harm had returned to the fleet to fly fighter jets.

She couldn't understand why. She had seen the ad campaign touting Harm as the Navy Poster Boy. He had the name recognition and package to go a long way in Washington. She wondered why he would throw it all away just to fly jets.

Meg had gone on to explain to her that his first love had been and always would be flying jets. If he died tomorrow, he would die happy. She didn't understand it, but then again did it really matter? Would she even see him again?

As it turned out she would get to see him again within a few months. It was her position as chief investigator of the Pacific Theater that allowed her the opportunity to meet up with Harm again.

As her investigation went on Harm's knowledge of the events of the mishap led him to be a prime witness. Unfortunately the Lieutenant being investigated had retained Harm as his lawyer.

She had to find a way to work around it, but she was able to prosecute the case perfectly. She had the Lieutenant dead to rights, but somehow Harm managed to get him off. He certainly didn't have much to work with.

Every time the lieutenant opened his mouth the hole that he was in got a little deeper and deeper. Somehow Harm would turn these blunders into some heroic macho enterprise that made the Lieutenant someone to be admired instead of being a goat.

All she could think of, it had to be the passionate plead he gave at the end of the trial where he convinced the jury that the Lieutenant was only doing the job he was trained to do and they bought into it.

While she was on board the carrier she weighed in her mind whether or not to tell Harm about Henry. She felt on the one hand he had a right to know, but on the other hand they had only spent a week together.

There had been no talks between them about having children or whether or not he even wanted children. Why should she disrupt his life because she hadn't used the proper birth control methods? Why should she trap him into something he hadn't agreed to before hand?

She remembered something that Meg had told her that Harm's first love was flying. During the limited time she had been on board the carrier she had seen for herself that he was truly happy about flying and living here on board the ship.

Who was she to take that all away from him? Then again when he showed up late one night at her cabin door, she didn't think about turning him away either or any of the other nights that he came by. The lovemaking had been wonderfully spectacular.

Especially since she couldn't remember the last time she had a man in her bed. She didn't like leaving Henry with anybody when he was a baby. And later she just didn't feel like going out with the other ladies to find a good man. In her mind she had a good man. His name was Henry.

It amused her later when she got back to Hawaii. She began having morning sickness even though she never had experienced it with Henry. Maybe that meant she was going to have a girl. She could only hope.

She was happy when the baby was born and it was a girl, she named her Elizabeth. She thought about telling Harm, but decided not to for the same reason she hadn't told him about Henry.

They weren't a couple nor would they ever be. She was a lawyer and he was a fighter jock. There was a strong possibility she would never see him again. He was happy flying his jet planes, she was happy to have a boy and a girl to love.

Besides, Harm had never contacted her since the day they met. She had been the equivalent of a couple of one night stands to him. Enjoy the night, but don't worry about the consequences.

Sarah came back to the present as she sat at her desk. She knew she would need to tell him now about Henry and Beth. The thought occurred to her that a barbeque with Meg, Caitlin, and Harm would be a good idea.

They both knew Harm. They could serve as a buffer between Harm and her. They would help him relax and be at ease so she could tell him about his children. He couldn't kill her in their presence.

They would also be able to help keep Harm from sharing her bed again. She had never been able to say no to him once he laid on his charms. He was so sexy and desirable. His smile drew her in to anything he wanted.

He wasn't one to hide his desire for her. He loved being with her as much as she loved being with him. He was the only man she had ever loved and probably the only one she ever would.


	4. Chapter 4

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part four The changing of the guard

Friday

12 May 2006

Harm thought about the past year. It had been very long and trying time at headquarters as everyone at Jag was questioning the mental health of the Admiral. He was no longer the strong quiet leader and stern disciplinarian.

He seemed tired and exhausted all the time. With the new SecNav's coming on board his will to be at JAG seemed to begin to wane. He seemed listless, he seemed to need to be elsewhere. It didn't come as any surprise when the Admiral finally retired last year.

Unfortunately during their search for a new JAG they decided to push the envelope. They wanted someone completely different who would shake up the status quo at headquarters.

They decided to replace him with a Marine, a marine so small he didn't come up to his navel. How was he going to be able to work for a midget? He guess the old saying was true, Respect the Uniform not the Man.

Harm could see the handwriting on the wall. There was a new JAG in town. He would want to form his own staff. Why would he want to keep him around? He wasn't anything special to anyone anymore.

Sure he had had a great career as a naval aviator and as a trial lawyer, but he had inadvertently severed several key connections when he returned to flying. He had stayed with the fleet too long to repair the damage.

There had been many people who weren't happy that he had dropped everything to fly. That had really puzzled him. He had heard about the last Captains board the Admiral had served on last year.

All the line officers who spent a great deal of their careers in the real Navy aboard ships were all highly received, praised and recommended for promotion.

Those who had spent many years behind a desk were overlooked and looked down upon like Commander Lindsey. Why was it then, was he being penalized for returning to the fleet, to the real Navy? Why had his promotion to Commander been delayed for so long, for too many years?

The General hadn't been too bad to work for. He pretty much let Harm do his own thing, but he wasn't getting the high profile cases anymore, they were going to the younger jags. It seemed like the General was developing a new breed of jag.

It burned his six too as he would read through the transcripts of the trials and see how poorly they had done knowing he could have done so much better whether it be prosecuting or defending.

There were a few times when he felt or knew the defendant was innocent, he would contact them about appealing their verdict. He would tell them how badly their defense attorney had done.

Most of them were happy to have him appeal. Not surprising he got most of them off and those he didn't, he got them a greatly reduced sentence.

Of course there was a price to be pay for doing all this. The General wasn't very happy that he kept getting involved, but if they weren't going to find the truth, then he would. It wasn't fair to those men who had been convicted because their lawyer didn't do their job properly.

Yep, there wasn't a future for him in the Navy anymore as he continued to ponder. Sarah MacKenzie, three years his junior, was getting her own command. He was only good enough to assist her in setting it up. He wasn't good enough for a command of his own.

He had been passed over for a younger, less experience officer. He would be lucky if he wasn't sent to Timbuktu afterwards. Guess it was time to call Mom and let her know he was coming home for a visit, may be it would be forever.

Sarah is offered a command position in San Diego

1100 hours

10 May 2006

Hawaii

Mac opened an envelope that read 'From the Office of the JAG'. She carefully read through the packet before looking at the orders. What she read surprised her to no end.

She had been afraid that her future in Jag was very limited when Colonel Creswell took over the position of JAG, becoming a two star general. Her history with him was limited, but it wasn't very good.

He had been the Jag officer who had investigated her misconduct with her former CO, Lieutenant Colonel John Farrell. She had gotten off lightly, but the stigma had remained with her ever since.

She was surprised to see that she would be taking over a new command comprised of navy and marine personnel. In the past it was very common not to see many Navy and Marine lawyers working together.

She was told she would have the choice of anyone she wanted to be in her new command. She knew she wanted to take along Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin who had been working with her in Hawaii the last three years.

She was a decent lawyer, a very good investigator, excellent with computers, and very good with paperwork. She would make a good chief of staff. It would be a big step for her career.

A second lawyer she thought of was Commander Caitlin Pike. Mac had worked with her in Los Angels for a couple of years before going to Hawaii. She was an excellent lawyer, decent with paperwork, and another computer whiz.

She was a great investigator after working with NCIS for five years. Mac saw her as being a great mentor for the younger lawyers she was sure she would need to fill out her staff.

They would all be in need of training in all aspects of the job. She knew ethics and investigating skills weren't the driving force for many young lawyers. They were more interested in winning than in finding out the truth.

Finally her thoughts made their way around to Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. No man had ever made such an impact on her life as he had. He was tall, strong, and gorgeous. He had swept her off her feet the first time she had met him.

All he had to do was smile and she would lose control. He made her feel like a teenager again. He gave her the feeling that he had known her all her life. No other man had made her feel that way before or since.

She remembered the first time she saw him. He was to be awarded a medal from the President himself. Since she had arrived late she had stayed back near the car. She spent her time while waiting for him in the White House Rose Garden.

It was so beautiful. There were so many different color roses. They varied in sized and texture. The fragrance of all the different roses was intoxicating. It left her drunk with delightful memories.

She was feeling very good emotionally when she saw Harm walking towards her with an older man, Admiral Chegwidden. He had given her a looked that said 'I know you, what are you doing her?'

He had looked deeply into her eyes as if he was searching for her soul. He found her soul, a soul that she had thought was lost forever.

They spent the night together and made passionate love. She knew and thought he knew, that it would be the only time they would ever make love to each other. It would have to last them for the rest of their lives.

It had been a night of glorious lovemaking that had resulted in the creation of her first child, a son named Henry. He was the spitting image of Harm. He was getting so big and at the age of nine was just shy of five feet tall.

She remembered the next time she saw him. It was four years later. For some reason she was sent to investigate an incident where a tomcat made a bombing run on a Russian Patrol.

Usually Jag-European Headquarters or Jag Headquarters in Washington would have handled the investigation. She usually handled the Pacific, Australia, and Indian Ocean Theater.

She was surprised when she saw Harm there in a flight suit. He had led her to believe he couldn't belong to a fighter squadron anymore. Besides, he was considered the rising star in Jag, the Navy Poster Boy.

She had wondered what had happened. One thing she knew for sure, his career had stagnated. He had been flying for a year again and he was still a Lieutenant Commander. He should have been promoted to full Commander before she was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

He didn't seem to mind at all. He was flying tomcats, his first love, the reason he had joined the navy in the first place or so others had told her.

It had been a very difficult week for her with him being so near. He always seemed to be close. He was always smiling at her. It was a smile that left her breathless and weak-kneed. She couldn't think when he smiled at her like that.

To make matters worse the idiot pilot she was prosecuting decided to have Harm defend him. That meant she couldn't do what she wanted so badly to do, sneak away to his cabin each night and make hot passionate love.

She had to wait until the trial was over before she was able to. The trial was a real education. She had presented a great case. The pilot was guilty dead to right, but somehow Harm gave a mind blowing closing argument that persuaded the board that the pilot was only doing his job, doing what he was trained to do.

She didn't think it was possible, but Harm had gotten the pilot off. She had to admit after that Harm was probably the best lawyer in the Navy, because only the best could have beaten her that day in a open and shut case.

She had thought about telling him about Henry, but decided not to. Harm was happy doing what he was doing, flying tomcats. Nothing else seemed to matter to him. Well, not completely, he did seem to want to be with her. But in the end it didn't seem right to take that all away from him.

It wasn't like they had a relationship. It technically had been a one-night stand. She didn't know him that well. She didn't know what he wanted out of his life other than to fly tomcats. Did he even want a wife or children?

Then she remembered what Meg had told her. Harm had in fact been married. There was a young boy involved, but he gave it all up to fly tomcats. Flying tomcats was more important than having a family.

She had made the right decision, it was better to leave things as they were. Let him fly his jets. When or if he ever decided to stop flying jet and rejoin the human race, then maybe things could be different. If he wanted a life with her, he would have to find her. Then she would let him know.


	5. Chapter 5

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part five Harm sent out to San Diego TAD

21 May 2006

La Jolla, California

Two weeks later Harm was sitting on the back porch of his mother's house. He was thinking about the conversation that he had with the General in his office a couple of weeks ago.

The General had told him that the CNO of the Navy had decided to establish a joint Navy/Marine Command located in San Diego. It would be staff with lawyers and support staff from both the Navy and the Marines.

He was being assigned TAD to assist the new Commanding Officer in setting up her command. He would be there for three months. When he asked whom the Commanding Officer would be, he was told it was Colonel Sarah Mackenzie.

As much as he welcomed the opportunity to see her again, he was quite disappointed to know that she was being given her own command before he had received one and that she was being promoted to full Colonel.

It wasn't the fact that she wasn't deserving of the new command, she was an excellent lawyer. It was just, he figured he should have gotten a command a few years before she did as well as being promoted to Captain.

If he didn't know it before, he knew it now, his career had peak a few years back and was now over. When they started handing out command opportunities to younger officers, it meant they didn't want you.

He only had a few months left to serve before he had his twenty years in. At which time he would put his paperwork in and retire. Maybe he could find a firm near La Jolla that would take him.

His mother would be happy. She would get to see him daily along with his little girl, Cassandra. After all she did love him. She loved Cassandra more than life itself. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

He had arrived at his mother's house the other day. She had been so happy to see him, why he didn't know. Yeah he knew she loved him like any mother loved their child, but he had never been a great son.

He never made any special effort to visit her. He would drop in if he was on an investigation near by, but never for the sake of just visiting her. Was he still punishing her for marrying Frank so many years ago?

Maybe he could make up for that now. She always wanted a grandchild to spoil. He could find a place near by so that they would visit more often. That would make her happy.

It would probably make Cassandra happy too, she needed a woman in her little life. She seemed to respond to his mother. She had been traumatized when she was told her mother was dead and would never come home again.

Hey, maybe someday she could have another mother. His mind floated back to Sarah. He shook his head to clear the vision of her. Why was he thinking about her so much? Why was he thinking about her in the context of being Cassandra's mother and his wife?

What strange hold did this woman have over him that he couldn't think about anything or anybody but her? He was scheduled to meet with her in a few days. She had left him an e-mail inviting him over to her home where she was having a small holiday party with some friends.

He wondered who these friends were. Were they her friends? Did he know any of them? Was it even possible that he and Sarah knew the same people? In his mind there was only one person possible, Meg Austin.

But Meg was away on another assignment when Sarah had come to Washington. Then again there had been many lawyers at Jag over the years. They came and went on a regular basis. It was possible after they left that they might have served with Sarah.

Harm spent the next week with his mother and Sandy. They went everywhere he could imagine a young child would want to go. One day it was Disneyland. The next day it was to the San Diego Zoo.

Some days they just spent the day on the beach below his mother's house.

It didn't matter what they did as long as they did it together. He didn't know why, but for the first time in a long time he felt better, more at peace.

It had been hard at first because his mother wanted to know why he was visiting. He felt really bad when she had asked. Even though he felt he was a good son, in reality he hadn't been. Maybe if Jordan had lived longer.

He missed her. She had been his life after the crash. She helped him heal both physically, psychologically, and emotionally. He had been able to rebuild his life with her help.

He missed her smile, her bubbly personality. Everyday that he woke up with her in his arms was like a day full of sunshine. Everyday was perfect. There wasn't anything such as a bad day.

But that all changed when she died. Everyday after that was like a stormy night. He couldn't sleep. Sandy had nightmares and didn't want to leave him. It was hard leaving her at day care at first. Some days he had to spend several hours there with her before he could go to work.

It had taken a long time for life to get better. It had with the help of his mother. She was wonderful with Sandy. They had bonded very quickly and help solved the morning headaches.

Harm closed his eyes and began to dream. The dream started out with him sitting on the floor with Jordan and Sandy. There was a fire in the fireplace and a tree in the corner adorned with lights, bulbs, and lots of icing. Sandy loved icing.

He dreamed of that Christmas when he was happy with his wife and child. He didn't think he could have ever been happier than seeing his beautiful daughter opening her first present at the age of sixteen months.

It was an experience that he would never forget as his daughter worked at opening the carefully wrapped gift, a gift that was wrapped by her mother with such care. He had laughed when Sandy started ripping the paper off to her mother's chagrin.

It wasn't long though before Harm's dream began to change. His dream had become of Sarah MacKenzie, a woman he had only met twice before. Each time had been magical as he made passionate love to the woman who had mended his heart after Diane had die.

She was the woman who helped him love again. She helped him see that life was worth living again. He was able to marry not once, but twice each time after she had shown him what love was.

His dream continued. He began sweating as he saw himself with Sarah. Were they married? He saw many kids playing in the back yard. Sandy was among them. She was so happy.

What was going on as he moaned to himself as he woke up. He was thinking about Sarah again. Why was she constantly in his thoughts? Why couldn't he think about others before eventually thinking about her?

Was this an omen? Each time he met Sarah, she showed him that he could love again after losing someone so dear to him. Each time he had gotten married after loving Sarah. What did this all mean?

Was he going to meet another woman to fall in love with and marry? Would they have many children?

It was time to gather Sandy and get her ready for bed. He had to find a way to stop thinking about Sarah or he was going to go nuts.


	6. Chapter 6

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

Part six Sarah invites Meg and Caitlin to come on over

1100 hours

31 May 2006

Mac's home

San Diego, California

It was Memorial Day. A holiday for everyone to remember family and friends who were no longer with them. Sarah thought it might be nice to have some friends over for the day. She invited Caitlin, Meg, and Harm.

She especially wanted Harm to come. He was the father of her two children, children who had waited a long time to finally meet their father. Sarah was hoping that Harm would want to be a part of her children lives once he got to meet them.

Henry was such a fine young man. He looked so much like Harm. He wanted a father so much as did her little girl Beth. All their friends had fathers who spent time teaching them the skills of life and having fun.

She wondered how Harm would react when he saw Henry. Would he be able to see that Henry was his son? Would he be willing to spend time with him and teach him how to fly? It was Henry's number one passion.

Meg was the first guest to arrive. She arrived with her young daughter, Heather. She was six years old and growing like a weed. She was already over four feet tall. She had blond hair and blue eyes. She looked like her mother.

She was a year older than Beth. She was a good friend of Beth since their mothers had been stationed together in Hawaii. Sarah sent Beth and Heather outside to play in the yard while she showed Meg around the house.

It was a three bedroom house with an eat in kitchen and large family room. Sarah had one small room down stairs as her home office. The previous owner had used it as a sewing room.

"So what do think Meg, are you happy to be back on the mainland?" smiled Sarah.

"Yeah, it's nice to be back. Heather is getting old enough to be with more children who are like her. Life was too leisurely in Hawaii. She needs more structure in her life. And besides she wants to have a pony.

I told her we would get her one when we moved back to the states. She was so happy with the idea of getting her own pony." smiled Meg.

"Do you ride?" asked Sarah.

"It's been a long time, but yeah, born and bred, I grew up on a ranch. I even raced a little until I got too tall. I used to do some rodeo riding like barrel racing and calf roping." grinned Meg as she remembered back to a simpler time in her life.

"I'm glad you decided to come with me. Beth has always loved having Heather as a friend. It should help them both acclimate to their new environment." offered Sarah.

"The chance to be your chief of staff is a welcome challenge. Thank you for having so much confidence in me." replied Meg with a smile.

"You've earned that opportunity Meg. You have so many skills that are essential for being successful in the Navy today. You are an asset to any command. This position can only help you get another stripe that you so richly deserve." assured Sarah.

"Who else is coming over today?" asked Meg.

"Caitlin Pike." replied Sarah.

"You know Kate? Kate is one of my best friends. We went to Law school together. I haven't seen her in a quite a few years. How is she?" asked Meg in surprise.

"I worked with her in Los Angeles for a few years before I was stationed in Hawaii." replied Sarah.

"Did you know she has a kid? I think he's a boy, but I don't remember how old he is or what his name is." informed Meg.

"Well at least he will give Henry someone to play with. He hates being around with or playing with girls. He says they are weird." laughed Sarah.

It wasn't long before Caitlin arrived dragging a young man who looked older than his young age. He was already well over five feet tall and a hundred pounds. He was solidly built.

He didn't look too happy to be there either. He had been living in a small town outside Los Angeles for the last seven years. All his friends were there. Now he was being told he would be moving away from all his friends. It made him a very moody child.

Sarah and Meg shared hugs with Caitlin as they greeted her. It had been a long time and they were happy to see each other. Mike scowled in the background as he wondered why he was here. All he saw were women, three adults and two little one.

Sarah sent Beth up to get her brother while the introductions were being made.

"Kate, this is my daughter Heather. She's six." smiled Meg as she introduced them.

"She so beautiful Meg. You must be so proud of her. This moody young man is my son Michael. He likes to be called Mike. He's ten." Caitlin replied proudly.

"He kind of looks like someone I know." mused Meg as she heard Beth and Henry come stomping out the door onto the porch.

"Kate, this is my son Henry and my daughter Elizabeth. They are nine and five. Elizabeth likes to be call Beth. Henry doesn't like any nicknames, especially Hank." smiled Sarah as she gave the introductions of her two kids.

"Henry, Beth, this is my son Mike." smiled Caitlin.

Meg was a little surprised to see that Henry and Mike looked so much alike. They looked as if they could be brothers, but that would mean that a certain naval aviator turn lawyer had to be their father. And as far as she knew Sarah had never met Harm, nor had Harm slept with Kate.

She wondered how it was possible for two kids who had never met, to look like brothers. She was going to have to have a conversation with both of her friends. It was a mystery and she loved trying to solve a mystery.

Henry wasted no time in leading Mike away from the women, away from all those who would like to tell cute little embarrassing stories about them when they were babies. They went up to his room.

Meg, Sarah, and Caitlin spent the next hour getting caught up. Meg told Caitlin that she had been working with Sarah for the last few years in Hawaii. It had been a great assignment.

Caitlin told them about working in Japan before working as a NCIS agent for a few years. She spent several years in Europe fending off all the undesirable sailors before ending up in Los Angeles.

"I didn't know you had a son Kate?" observed Meg.

He's been with my mother most of his life, especially after I joined NCIS. I didn't think it was too wise taking him over seas with me. Security isn't quite up to snuff in Europe as it is here in the states.

Add the fact that terrorism is rampant in Europe, I didn't think it was a safe place for a young boy to grow up. Besides he's into baseball, basketball, and football. They aren't standard fare in Europe.

I've been fortunate to have been stationed in Los Angeles the last couple of years so I could spend more time with him. It's been great to see him grow and mature so fast." replied Caitlin.

"I wonder what the boys have been up to. They have been pretty quiet." observed Sarah.

"Do you think we should see what they're doing?" asked Caitlin.

"Sounds like a good idea. Meg can round up the girls. After we get them all together I'll start up the grill and we can cook some dead cow and doggies." smiled Sarah.

Meanwhile upstairs in Henry's room Henry and Mike had been talking about life in San Diego and sports. For some reason Henry loved the Red Sox and the Patriots even though he had never been to Massachusetts.

He had caught Red Sox fever during their World Series run a couple of years ago. He was a proud member of Red Sox Nation. Red Sox Nation had members all over the world.

His real passion though was football and watching the greatest team in the history of football, The New England Patriots. Somehow living in a military family he believed in Patriotism, therefore the Patriots.

Mike on the other hand loved the Dodgers and Rams, a former LA team now residing in Saint Louis. He was disappointed that the Rams deserted LA. It made him feel the lost of not knowing his father even more.

Mike was walking around the room checking things out. Henry had model planes hanging from the ceiling and on his bureau, and on his desk. They looked like different navy fighter jets to him.

As he continued to walk around the room he came across a picture on the nightstand by Henry's bed. The picture was of a man he knew, but then again didn't know. It was different than the one he had. In this one the man looked a few years older.

He was in a military uniform, dress whites he thought. In his picture the man was wearing a floral style looking Hawaiian shirt. He appeared to be very happy standing there with his arm around his mother.

"Who is this Henry?" asked Mike. It was time to gather some Intel as his mother like to put it.

Henry walked over and looked at the picture Mike was looking at.

"That's my father." he replied a little sadly.

"What's his name?" asked Mike. He needed to know if it was the same name as his father's.

"Harmon Rabb, I don't really know him except for what my mother has told me about him. She said he's been a lawyer and a fighter pilot." explained Henry.

"I think he might be my father too. I have a picture of him in my room at home. He looks like your father. He was a pilot too before he became a lawyer. My mother said his name is Harmon." replied Mike for edification.

"Really Mike! That's great! That might explain why we look so much alike. We could be brothers!" exclaimed Henry excitedly. He had always wanted a brother. As much as he loved his little sister, she was a pain.

"We would be half brothers Henry, what about Beth? Who is her father?" corrected Mike before asking an important question.

"Mom says she has the same father as I do. I have no reason to doubt her other than I've never seen my mother with my father. Besides, Beth looks like Mom except she has blue eyes like I do." replied Henry.

"I think we ought to get her up here Henry. She has the right to know." ordered Mike.

Henry looked out the window and saw Beth over by the swings playing with Heather. They were playing with the puppy that his mom had gotten them last week. He yelled down to her to come up to his room. Beth and Heather quickly made their way up to his room.

"What is it Henry? You don't usually like me in your room." asked Beth quizzically.

"Do you think Mike and I look alike?" he asked her.

Beth stood there looking at him and then Mike. She rubbed her cute little button nose as she thought about it. She turned to Heather and whispered to her. They exchanged whispers a few times before Beth replied.

"Maybe, why do you ask Henry?" asked Beth, her curiosity had been heighten.

"You know the picture of Dad." began Henry not expecting an answer. Beth nodded her head.

"Can I see your Dad?" asked Heather. She didn't want to feel left out. She wanted to know everything that Henry, Mike, and Beth did.

Henry handed the picture to her before continuing.

"Mike says his father looks just like our dad. He even has the same name. Mike could be our half brother." explained Henry.

"Really! That's great!" exclaimed Beth as she ran over to Mike and gave him a big hug. Mike was quite surprise by her reaction.

"This is your father?" asked Heather.

"Yes." beamed Beth.

"He looks like my father too. Is his name Harmon Rabb Jr.?" she asked.

"Yes it is, why?" asked Henry.

"He's my father too." replied Heather a bit confused. She didn't understand how Henry and Beth could have the same father as she did never mind that Mike had the same father too.

She didn't know whether to be happy or cry. She wanted to ask Henry what it all meant.

Mike could see the confusion on her face. He understood why she was confused because he was quite confused too. He was wondering if he really did want to know his father. What kind of father had children with three different women?

"I can see that you're confuse Heather." began Mike as Heather nodded her head in agreement. "I'm confused too. I think this means we're all related, half brothers and half sisters."

Heather's face began to lighten up. She always wanted a brother or sister. Now she had two brothers and a sister.

Meg looked around the back yard, but she didn't see the girls anywhere. She figured they must have gone into the house and were probably up in Beth's room. She caught up to Sarah and Caitlin as they were getting ready to walk into Henry's room.

"I didn't see the girls anywhere outside, they must be up here." Meg informed Caitlin and Sarah.

"They're all up here in Henry's room, I can hear them talking. They must be up to something, they look like they might be plotting something." smiled Sarah.

"What are they doing?" asked Meg.

"I don't know, but I think we better find out." smiled Sarah.

They walked into the room. The kids were all on the other side of the room looking at something. Sarah walked over to see what it was.

"What do you have there Henry?" asked Sarah.

"A picture of our father." replied Henry emphasizing the word 'our' and not 'my'.

"He's coming here today." smiled Sarah. "You'll get to meet him."

"Mom, do you think Mike and I look alike?" asked Henry.

Sarah looked puzzled. Why was he asking her this strange question? She watched as Mike stood next to Henry. She was surprised at what she saw. She looked over at Caitlin who had noticed the same thing.

"Kate, do you know what is going on?" asked Sarah looking for some clarification of her own.

Mike and Henry were looking at her too. They wanted answers, answers that only their mothers could give them. It was up to Caitlin to start since Mike was the oldest.

"Do you remember Meg the time you and Harm came out to investigate the dead missile technician?" asked Caitlin.

Meg nodded her head to demonstrate that she remembered.

"Well after the case was solved Harm and I took a vacation to Hawaii for five days. I never could resist his smile and charms. Since we were no longer working together, one thing led to another.

We had a very nice time together. Nine months later Mike was born. I haven't seen Harm since our Hawaiian vacation." finished Caitlin sadly. She always liked Harm. She wished she could have had more with him.

"He is amazing and quite charming. I remembered when I met him for the first time." sighed Sarah. "It was in the White House Rose Garden. He was in his dress whites and gold wings. I had to catch my breath when I saw him smile."

"You've met Harm? You never told me that." interrupted Meg. She was quite surprised to hear this. First Kate had slept with Harm and she learned that Harm had slept with Sarah too.

"Twice actually, the Admiral had just introduced us. I raised my hand to shake his, but he just stood there looking at me, looking deeply into my eyes as if he was searching for my soul. And then he smiled. I felt my knees grow weak.

After a meeting in the Admiral's office we went back to his apartment and made love before leaving on an investigation the next day. Nine months later Henry was born. I guess that explains why Henry and Mike look so much alike." reasoned Sarah.

"That means we're brothers, right Mom?" asked Henry looking for confirmation of what he heard and believed to be true.

"You're half brothers Henry. And as you know Harm is Beth's father too. I saw him again four years later. He was back with the fleet flying tomcats then. I was kind of surprised since he told me he had night blindness." continued Sarah.

"He had his vision corrected in ninety-nine. It seemed he didn't have night blindness after all, he actually had retinal scarring. He had laser surgery to fix his eyes." added Meg.

"How do you know this Meg?" asked Caitlin.

"I worked with him until he left Jag to return to the fleet and fly. Did you know that he was married? He married Annie Pendry in ninety-seven. She was the widow of his best friend Luke. She had a young boy name Josh. They waited almost two years after Luke died before they got married.

When Harm decided to go back to flying, Annie divorced him taking Josh with her. Harm was devastated when she left. I'm a little ashamed to say I took the opportunity to console him." confessed Meg.

It didn't take long for Sarah and Caitlin to do the math in their head. That meant Heather must be Harm's child too if what she had implied was true.

It was mind-blowing news to them. They had always felt that Harm was an honorable man. That he didn't have sexual relations indiscriminately. Unfortunately that didn't turn out to be true to them anymore.

He had four children with three different women. He had been married to another woman with a family. He had thrown it all away, family, friends, a great law career just to fly tomcats. Sarah felt that she had made the right decision years ago about not telling Harm about Henry.

Meanwhile the kids were sitting there quietly listening to what their moms were saying. They were a little confused about some of the things like what kind of man was their father? He didn't sound very nice.

They wondered if their father was capable of loving them. Maybe that was why none of them had ever seen their father, he was more concerned about his career than having a family, than loving them.

"Do you know anything more about Harm?" asked Caitlin to Sarah and Meg.

"The only thing I know is, Harm is back at Jag and that he will be helping us set up the new command here." replied Sarah.

"I heard that he suffered another life threatening crash a few years ago. It took him a long time to rehab physically and mentally. In fact he married a Lieutenant Commander Jordan Parker, his psychotherapist." answered Meg.

"Well I guess that makes us all one large dysfunctional family." laughed Caitlin as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Well what do you think Harm is going to say when he finds out that he has four kids?" added Meg.

"I don't know, but I think it's time we all go downstairs and get ready to eat lunch." ordered Sarah. She was disappointed. She had hoped for something more from Harm, but if he was married ... well ...


	7. Chapter 7

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part seven Harm and his Mom arrived with Sandy

1500 hours

31 May 2006

Mac's home

San Diego, California

Later that afternoon Harm arrived at Sarah's house with his mother and his daughter Sandy. It was a short haul from La Jolla. Harm had received a call from Sarah telling him that she was having some friends and their families over for a holiday get together at her place.

Since Harm wanted to spend as much time with Sandy as possible be brought her along with him. Trish came along in case Sandy got antsy. She would be able to take her to a quiet place to sleep and recoup. Harm could stay with his friends.

Before they got out of the car Trish turned to Harm and said "It was awful nice of Sarah to invite you to her party today Harm. Do you know her?"

"I've met her a couple of time over the years. She's a nice person ... for a marine." chuckled Harm.

"Harm, please, I know I taught you better than that. If they didn't have marines to clean up the beaches then the Navy would have to do it." reprimanded Trish.

"You're right Mom, I'll try and behave. I hope they have some children here for Sandy to play with, she hasn't been herself for a long time." sighed Harm.

"It takes a long time for a child to get over losing a parent Harm, you of all people should know that." replied Trish.

Harm and Trish got out of the car. Harm picked up Sandy before they walked around the house to the backyard where they heard the sounds of children playing. Sandy, who had been sleeping, woke up in Harm's arms at the sound of laughter.

Harm saw three women standing there talking and watching their kids playing. He was quite surprise to see it was Caitlin and Meg standing there talking to Sarah. How in the world did Sarah know Meg and Caitlin? He really didn't expect to know anyone here except for Sarah.

Meg was the first one to see Harm. She let out a cry before she went over to him quickly to greet him and give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Caitlin followed closely behind her giving Harm a hug and a kiss on the cheek too.

Mac on the other hand kept a little distance from Harm, she didn't know Harm all that well although she could never resist his charming personality. She greeted him with a smile.

She hadn't really worked with Harm like Caitlin and Meg had. He really was more of an acquaintance than a friend. Harm began to introduce his mother and Sandy to his friends.

"Mom, I would like you to meet Caitlin Pike, Meg Austin, and Sarah Mackenzie. Ladies, this is my mother Trish Burnett and my daughter Sandy."

Meg and Caitlin tried to engage Sandy by cooing and rubbing a finger to her face, but Sandy would have none of it, she hid her sweet little round face in her father's chest.

But for some reason when Sarah came close to say hi to Sandy, she reached out for Sarah. She wanted to be held by Sarah. They all looked on in surprise when Sandy decided to cuddle with Sarah and responded happily to her attention.

"Looks like she wants you for a mommy Sarah." teased Caitlin.

Trish, who was looking on, commented to Harm

"She's a natural with kids Harm, Sandy loves her, maybe you could get to know her better and ... I don't know ... see what happens. Sandy needs a mother."

"Mom ... I hardly know her. I've only met her twice before, and each time it was only for a few days. I worked with Kate for a year. I worked with Meg for four years. They were both very good friends. I just don't know Sarah very well." replied Harm.

"Doesn't she look like someone you once knew? ... Diane?" continued Trish.

"She's not Diane. She only looks like her. Sarah has a completely different personality." argued Harm as he grew frustrated with where this conversation was going. He wasn't ready to get married again.

"Will your wife be coming later Harm?" asked Sarah. She wanted to see the woman who had tamed Harmon Rabb Jr.

"No Sarah, she died in an automobile accident last year. It's been a pretty tough year. Sandy hasn't seemed to want to stay with anyone except my Mom or me. You're one of the few people she has gone to willingly." replied Harm.

"I'm sorry to hear about your wife Harm. She must have been a special lady." offered Sarah.

"She was." replied Harm with a tear in his eye. "She helped me out a few years back after my last crash. I don't think I would have made it without her."

Meg had gathered the other children while Harm was talking to his mother and Sarah. They were waiting to meet Harm, the father they had never met before.

The kids noticed Harm standing beside Sarah and stared wide-eyed. They couldn't believe how tall he was. He towered over their mothers, who were quite tall themselves. They began whispering among themselves.

"Is that daddy?" asked Beth.

"Yes Beth, I think so." replied Henry.

"He looks like you and Mike." observed Heather.

"He's so tall, it hurts my neck to look up so high." whined Beth.

The adults were all standing in front of the children now. It was time to introduce them to Harm. Trish was looking at them quite curiously. They somehow looked familiar to her.

"Would you like to meet our children Harm?" asked Sarah.

"Sure, why not. They all look like they're good kids." sighed Harm. He hadn't understood Sarah when she said 'our kids'.

He was only here to begin with because it was the polite thing to do. He wasn't really interested in spending time with someone else's kids right now. His only focus was on getting through the next three months before retiring.

"Harm, this is my son Michael. He is ten years old. He likes to be called Mike." smiled Caitlin.

"Hello Sir." greeted Mike as he held out his hand.

Harm shook his hand and replied "Nice to meet you Mike. You're quite tall for your age."

"Harm, this is my son Henry. He is nine years old and this is my daughter Beth. She is five years old." smiled Sarah.

"She looks like you Sarah. She's very pretty." smiled Harm as he kissed little Beth's hand. He shook Henry's hand as he noticed that Henry looked like Mike. He was a little confused.

"Harm, this is my daughter Heather. She is six years old." smiled Meg.

"She's beautiful Meg." replied Harm as he kissed Heather's hand too. She giggled at the special adoration she received.

Sandy, who was still in Sarah's arms, began to squirm to get down. She wanted to be with the other kids. She sensed something. It was like this was where she belonged.

It then dawned on Trish. Mike and Henry looked just like Harm did when he was a young boy. Was it possible that they were his sons? Did that mean Beth was his daughter too? But what about Heather? Did she belong to him too or was she just Meg's child?

Harm had been married to Annie most of the time he worked with Meg. He divorced Annie just before he returned to flying. Would he have had the time to be with Meg too?

The children could see that the adults were going to be talking for awhile so they went off to play with Sandy trailing along after them.

"Harm, don't you think the boys look like you?" asked Trish.

Harm took another look at them before they took off. He looked at Sarah. He gave her a questioning look. Since he was looking at her, Sarah felt obliged to give him an answer.

"You are their father Harm, each and every one of them." confirmed Sarah wondering how he would take the news.

"They're mine? How?" asked a surprised Harm.

"I'm sure you can figure it all out Harm. There weren't that many opportunities for their procreation. Now isn't the time for specifics." answered Caitlin.

"Why don't you and Trish take some time and get to know your kids. They have been waiting a long time to meet you." offered Meg.

Trish had been standing behind Harm a little while all this was going on. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. On one hand she was extremely happy to know, to find out she had four new grandchildren and that they were all living in the San Diego area now.

On the other hand she was quite disappointed to hear that Harm had children with four different women. Three of the women he hadn't been married to, who by what she was hearing, were one or two nightstands.

She could understand why he would have had relations with each one of them. They all were very beautiful and intelligent women, but why had he not taken the proper precautions. She thought she had raised him better than that.

She didn't want to think about all the other women that he had had sexual relations with over the years. She sighed and decided to make the best of it. She would just be thankful that she had four more grandchildren to love.


	8. Chapter 8

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part eight Harm takes a minute

Harm's head was spinning. He needed to get away, he needed a break from everyone to think about what he had just learned. He excused himself saying he needed to get something from the store. He asked his mother to stay and keep an eye on Sandy while he was gone.

He drove around for a while before coming to some cliffs that over looked the ocean. He got out of the car and walked over to the edge of one of the cliffs where he took a seat on the edge to look out at the ocean and to think.

He looked on in amazement at its vastness. It looked so calm out there, but he knew through life experiences there was a lot of turmoil right below the surface. It was how he felt the direction of his life was going at this moment. Everything seemed okay, but it wasn't.

How could all of these women not tell him about his children? What kind of women were they? What kind of man did they think he was? He thought they were his friends. In a way he understood why Sarah hadn't told him about Henry and Beth, she had only known him for a few days.

It could be argued that both times were only one night stands, but still, when he met her aboard the Patrick Henry, she should have told him he had a son. He had always wanted a son to share his passion for flying with like his father had done with him.

He had already lost nine years of his young life. Had he known about him he might have given up flying. At the very least he would have made an effort to see him whenever he could.

What about Caitlin? She had been a very special friend of his when he first came to Jag. He had loved her almost as much as he had loved Diane. Why didn't she tell him they had a son together? What had he done to deserve missing out on his son's life for ten years?

He was beginning to get angry as he sat there analyzing everything that was happening. He knew they hadn't kept in touch like they should have, ... but still ...

He didn't even know if he had seen her since that very special week in Hawaii, but still he had the right to know he had a son. Why didn't she tell him? Didn't she think he wanted a son?

And Meg, why in the world didn't she say anything? They had worked together for four years. She had been his best friend for a long time. She kept him sane whenever things didn't go as planned. Why hadn't she told him he had a daughter with her?

Did she resent the fact he was married to Annie for all those years? Was it because they didn't get together until only a few days before he left to return to the fleet? She should have told him. She knew how much he loved Josh.

He was beginning to wonder if he could carry out this assignment. At first glance it should have been considered a good assignment. He would be home with his mother for the next three months.

He would be working with old friends whom he hadn't seen in a long time, but how could he work with them now. They had all lied and betrayed him. Was this all a game to them?

Did they know that he was the father to all their children before hand? Was that the reason they were all here today? Were they mocking him? Is that why they didn't tell him about them?

How could he tell the General he wouldn't be able to complete the assignment? How could he give him an answer to the question why? How could he tell him that he had children with three of the women he was sent to help and they had all lied to him?

How could he tell him he wasn't fit to be in the Navy anymore, because these women didn't think he was fit enough to be the father of their children, his children. His head was going numb again.

He could see that the sun was starting to get lower in the sky. He thought it might be a good idea to get back and spend some time with his kids. Yeah, that's right, his kids he mumbled to himself.

Just because his friends had denied him the opportunity to spend time with his children for the last ten years, it was no reason for him to penalize his kids now. He would go back to Sarah's house and make the best of it.

Somehow he would work through the pain and disappointment he was feeling. It was a common denominator in his life now. He had to find a way, it was too important for him not to.

He knew how hard it was to grow up without his father. He would be damm if his children would grow up without him. He would have to have a talk with all of them at some point to express his disappointment with each one of them.

Meanwhile back at Sarah's house Trish was enjoying the afternoon watching her new grandchildren play. She was please to see them playing so well together. Sarah had told her today was the first time they had all been together.

It had been Henry and Mike who had reasoned that they were brothers leading to all of them realizing that Harm was their father and that they were brothers and sisters.

Trish was please to see Sandy was playing so happily with them. It had been almost a year since she had seen Sandy so happy and playing with other children. Somehow this little girl knew that these children were her brothers and sisters.

It had always amazed her how quickly kids could adapt to new situations whenever they wanted to be a part of something. Maybe Sarah had something to do with it. Sandy had taken to her immediately. Maybe she was ready to be happy again.

She heard a car pull up and moments later saw Harm walking over to sit down next to her. She was concerned that he had been gone for so long.

"Are you alright Harm?" she asked with concerned.

"No, but I will be Mom. It's a lot to take in. It's not easy to find out you have children you didn't know about. It hurts to know that none of them felt the need to tell me and let me know. I've lost so many years with them.

You know how hard it was for me to lose my Dad. Not knowing about my kids is even worse. And to think they didn't think I was worthy of being a father." whined Harm.

"That's not really true Harmon. I've been talking with them about why they didn't tell you. Mainly it was because you all were going in different directions. Kate told me she hasn't seen you in over ten years.

Meg hasn't seen you since the day you returned to the fleet. And as Sarah told me and Meg agreed, your heart was dedicated to flying back then. It was your first love.

It's hard to disagree with that statement Harmon when you decided you rather be flying than to stay married to Annie and be with Josh. They didn't know if you would commit to them, but more importantly, they didn't want to make you decide between them and flying.

They knew that was what you needed most and wanted to do. You can't really love someone and asked them not to do what they're born to do. I couldn't ask your father not to fly even if I wanted to. They couldn't ask you either.

The kids all have pictures of you Harmon. It was how Henry and Mike figured out they were brothers. They both knew you were their father. Henry even showed me a scrapbook about you.

Kate, Meg, and Sarah have told me they tried to keep current through military magazines and newspapers, about your accomplishments so that your children would be proud of their father.

The kids all have photo albums they want to share with you Harmon. They show them as babies up till last month. They love you Harm and they don't even know you. Take the opportunity Harmon to get to know them.

They want to know you. Remember what I told you as you were growing up? Don't be bitter about what might have been in the past, lets focus on the here and now and what can be." sighed Trish hoping Harm would be alright.

Harm knew his mother was right. Now wasn't the time to pout and wonder. He had two sons and two daughters to get to know. They seemed to be happy and well-adjusted kids that any parent would be proud to have.

"Mom, the reason I returned to flying wasn't because I didn't love Annie and Josh, it was because she didn't want to have any more children. I wanted children of my own." explained Harm.

Harm spent the rest of the day with his kids. He played catch with Mike and Henry. Later he spent time reading a couple of children's book to Beth, Heather, and Sandy.

Harm was totally amazed to see how Sandy took to her new sisters. She was happy and energetic, something she hadn't been since her mother died. She wanted to be everywhere they were.

He was surprised and happy to see Beth and Heather welcome Sandy into their new extended family like they knew her their whole lives. He knew it couldn't have been easy for all of them to find out that they were all brothers and sisters.

By the end of the night Harm's mood had changed from being hurt and resentful of the past to being thankful for a brighter future. His heart had lightened and he saw hope for a bright future he didn't see before he came.


	9. Chapter 9

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part nine Finishing up a career or not

Over the next three months Harm was busy helping Sarah set up her new command? It wasn't an easy task because of all the logistics that were involved. That wasn't exactly one of his forte. He was more a people person.

He liked working with people, finding out about their strengths and weaknesses. He liked training people, helping them to be more, and to succeed. He enjoyed it whenever they succeeded because he felt he had succeeded too.

He decided to let Meg and Caitlin handle the logistics end of the business. He would help Sarah review the many personnel files that were available of young marine and navy lawyers who had experience, but not in the courtroom.

They had decided to go with younger lawyers since they would be easier to train and learn to conduct their business the right way, the way Sarah and Harm wanted them to. The young lawyers wouldn't have had the time to develop too many bad habits.

Since it was suppose to be a joint Navy/Marine Command, they decided it was best to have an equal number of squids and jarheads. They would pair one squid with one jarhead.

It was thought that it would help each lawyer to see and learn about the other branch of the service from their point of view. The Marines and Navy had a history of not seeing eye to eye on many things. They hoped this would help resolve that.

During his three months in San Diego Harm got to know each of his new children better. One day a week he would spend a couple of hours with each child.

Monday was reserved for Heather. She was learning how to play a musical instrument. Harm like this because he played the guitar and a little piano. He could help Heather learn to read music and learn the different notes and scales.

Tuesday was the day for Mike. He usually had a ball game scheduled. Harm was quite surprise to see how good he was. He divided time between pitching and first base. He was also a good hitter.

Thursday was the day for Henry. That was a common night for him to have a ball game. He played shortstop. Occasionally he would get an opportunity to pitch. Harm would watch Henry play ball while he told Beth stories.

On the weekends everyone would gather at one of their houses. It seemed Grandma Trish's house was the one most visited. They all love her, but they like her house mainly because it overlooked the ocean and had a nice private beach to play on.

Trish didn't mind having them over to her place because it gave her the chance to get to know each of her grandchildren better along with their mothers. She admired all the women for the wonderful job they had done. She knew it hadn't been easy since she had done the same with Harm.

All the kids were well behaved. They got along so wonderfully. If she hadn't known better she would have sworn they had know each other all their lives instead of only for a few months.

She was also very happy to see Harm coming out of the deep funk he had been in since Jordan's death. He seemed happier and more alive. It even looked like to her that he was ready to get involved in a relationship again.

He seemed to be falling in love with one dark haired individual in particular. Maybe there would be a wedding in the near future.

With all the time he was spending with Sarah and the kids, Harm knew he was making the right decision to resign his commission and retire after he had his twenty years in. His life was here in San Diego now.

He knew he wasn't going to get his own command so why stay in and risked being assigned to a Jag unit far away from his new found family, that is his four new children.

It hadn't taken him long to get over the anger of missing out on their lives. The future was the only thing that counted now, not the past. He loved his new kids so much now, he couldn't imagine not having them in his life.

What surprised him even more was his relationship with Sarah. When he first arrived he was resentful of her success and the opportunity she received to have her own command, but now ...

He was falling deeply in love with her. Sandy loved her as if Sarah was her mother. Sarah seemed to love Sandy as much as her own two children.

He just loved everything about her. Not only was she very beautiful, but she was also very intelligent. She was his equal and so much more.

He understood now why her career was skyrocketing. She was very good and had the respect of everyone who had ever served with her unlike himself. He had ruffled a lot of feathers in his day.

He worked with her everyday. He ate lunched with her. They talked about the past. It seemed he spent every waking hour either being with her or thinking about her. She was quickly becoming his life, his reason for being.

The night before he was scheduled to return to Washington Harm invited Sarah out to dinner. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted to talk about a future together. He couldn't imagine not spending the rest of his life with her and getting to know his children better.

"So what are your plans Harmon after you return to Washington?" asked Sarah. He smiled at her use of his formal name.

After spending so much time with Harm at work and at home with the kids, she had fallen in loved with him. She wanted a future with him, but didn't know if it was possible.

She knew the Navy was Harm's life. His father had been Navy. All he knew was the Navy. Was it even possible for him to exist outside the Navy in the real world? Did he even want to? Did he want to be with her?

Did he love her as much as she loved him? Did he love his children? She thought he did. He seemed to spend a lot of time with all of them not just with Sandy, her Henry and Beth, but with Mike and Heather as well.

Was it enough for him to come back to her? His mother lived near by. He always said he loved her very much. But what did that really mean? As much as he supposedly loved her, he was lucky if he saw her every few years before he had Sandy and Jordan died.

Did he love her enough to end his navy career and come back to San Diego to be with her? He said he only had another month before he had his twenty years. Would he retire?

"As you know I only have a month to go before I have my twenty. At that point I can retire from the Navy. I'm not sure if that is what I want, but I do know I want to be here for the kids. I don't want to miss any more of their lives than can be helped.

No matter what I decide I will have to talk it over with the General. It's not as easy to retire or resign your commission since nine eleven. I could always see if there is anything available in the San Diego area.

There are a lot of Navy bases in the area. Maybe they have a position for an old seadog like me." replied Harm with a smile.

"Are you going to take Sandy back with you?" asked Sarah.

"I don't think so, at least not for a month. She has become very attached to her grandmother and her brothers and sisters. She has also become very attached to a certain softhearted Marine, as have I.

I love you Sarah MacKenzie. I plan on coming back." smiled Harm.

Sarah's breath caught in her throat. She had been hoping that Harm would tell her how he felt. She was so happy that tears began to form in her eyes. He loved her and he was coming back to her.

"I love you too Harm. I'll make sure Henry and Beth spend time with Sandy while you're gone. I can't promise anything about Mike and Heather, but I'm sure Meg and Caitlin will include her in some family outings." replied Sarah with tears in her eyes.

She reached a hand over to Harm. He took her hand and placed a small box in it. She opened it revealing a beautiful engagement ring.

"I love you Sarah, I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"


	10. Chapter 10

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part ten What is the answer

Wednesday

30 Aug 2006

Harm's home

The three months had passed by quickly. Before he knew it Harm was heading back to Washington. Harm figured it would be a short stay. He had only a month left to go before he had his twenty years in.

He would submit his retirement papers to the General, get everything ready to be moved back to San Diego, and say goodbye once and for all to the Navy. His life was no longer about the Navy, it was about his two sons and three daughters.

It also concerned a beautiful Marine colonel that he was hopelessly in love with. He had asked her to marry him before he came back to headquarters. She had said yes. He couldn't wait to get back to San Diego to be with her.

Harm entered his apartment upon his return and saw the answering machine light blinking. He wondered who it might be. He really didn't want to talk to anyone, that is no one but Sarah. His mind was always thinking about her.

He listened to the tape. It was the General. He had something very important to discuss with him as soon as possible. He wanted to see him first thing in the morning. He wondered what could be so important that it couldn't wait a day or two.

Maybe Sarah had spoken to the General on the phone and told him what a wonderful job he had done in assisting her in setting up her command. The thought sent an uneasy queasy feeling to his stomach.

He forced himself to take a deep breath. Calm down sailor, if it hadn't been for this duty assignment he wouldn't have found out about Mike, Henry, Beth, and Heather. He wouldn't have spent so much time with his mother and good friends.

The only thoughts he was going to have were good thoughts. Only thirty more days until he was back in sunny southern California with his children and Sarah. Relax, calm down, good things were coming his way.

Thursday

31 Aug 2006

Headquarters

The next morning Harm went into Jag headquarters to see the General. He wondered if he should have his retirement papers with him, ready to hand to the General or not.

He really didn't see any reason why he should prolong the process. He knew it was what he wanted to do. That is he was ready to get on with the next stage of his life, life after the Navy.

He had five wonderful children he wanted to spend time with. He had missed out on too much of their lives as it was already. He didn't want to miss out on more just because the Navy had been an important part of his life for so long.

He knocked on the door to The General's office. He wondered what the General would say when he told him of his plans to retire. He wondered how much of the truth he would have to tell the General in an effort to explain why he was retiring.

He knew it wasn't going to be easy. He hoped the General would understand and not make a big deal out of it. The last thing he wanted right now was the General making his life difficult.

Harm entered the General's office when he heard the command "Enter!" He walked over to the General's desk and stood at attention.

"At ease Commander, take a seat. I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things before the next staff meeting. First off I wanted to commend you on the fine job you did in assisting Colonel MacKenzie.

I talked with her on the phone last week, she was very impressed with your knowledge of the law, your ability to judge personnel, and your professionalism. She was quite grateful for your assistance in aiding her in her efforts to staff her command.

A copy of her report was forwarded to the SecNav and the CNO. They both agree that you are a worthy candidate for a command of your own. The one we have in mine for you is the Force Judge Advocate Europe.

You would be stationed in London. This is a command that could lead you to becoming the Judge Advocate General in five to ten years. This is a choice assignment Commander." deadpanned the General.

He could see the look of bewilderment on the Commander's face. He was surprised to see it. He thought the Commander would be ecstatic when he heard the news. He wondered what was going on. Why wasn't he happy?

"Commander?" the General addressed Harm in an effort to get a response.

"Sir?" replied Harm.

"I'm surprised that you haven't responded to the good news Commander." answered the General.

"I'm a bit surprised and a little shocked Sir. When Colonel MacKenzie received her command, I just assumed that I had been passed over for command. I had reckoned that the Navy had decided that I wasn't fit for a command position.

I thought I had topped out and would never make Captain. I pretty much figured my career was over. I would put my twenty years in and retire quietly to the civilian sector.

To be quite honest with you Sir, I was trying to figure out when was the best time I should hand my retirement papers to you. I had contemplated giving them to you this morning when I walked in here Sir." Harm tried to explain.

"That's nonsense Commander, you have an excellent record, both as a lawyer and as a naval aviator. It's not often that an officer succeeds in one area, but you have done so in two completely different specialties.

There was never a question whether or not you were command material, but where would be the best place to utilize your excellent skills as a leader. The CNO, SecNav, and I have spent the last three months trying to figure out what the best solution was.

Your excellent negotiating skills and dedication to the truth above everything else led us to believe the Force Judge Advocate position was the best place for you. We need your skills to deal with the possible political ramifications that US policy tends to stir up with our European allies.

The Navy needs you now more than ever before. You are one of the best young minds in the military. With all the military conflicts going on throughout the world we need you in a command position.

Many of our European counterparts have great respect for your abilities Commander. They all have given you high praise in your handling of sensitive cases in European courts over the years, particularly when the SecNav appeared before the European high court.

You treated their charges with great respect even though many people in the states thought the charges were a joke. You dealt with the charges on their terms and you were successful. We need you Commander." informed the General.

"This is quite a surprise Sir. Three months ago I would have jumped at the opportunity, but so much has happened in my life since then Sir. Many of my priorities have change. The Navy isn't as important to me today as it was a few years ago." began Harm as he tried to explain.

"Does this have something to do with your wife's death a year ago?" asked the General.

"In a way Sir. I found out recently that I have children from a previous relationship that I didn't know about. I have missed so much of their lives already, I don't want to miss any more of their lives if I can help it.

Plus Cassandra, my daughter, has bonded with her new siblings. They have helped her get over the lost of her mother. I don't want to separate her from them and I don't think she would take it very well if she were to be leaving them Sir." replied Harm.

"Anyone I know Commander?" asked the General fearing that he knew the answer to the question he had asked.

"Possibly Sir, they live in San Diego near my mother, she lives in La Jolla." sighed Harm.

"Family is important Commander, but it is no reason not to take a command that's going to advance your career. All military men with families have had to deal with this, it's a part of military life.

I can't begin to tell you how many years I have missed out on with my family because I was assigned to a combat position where I couldn't take them. Your family will understand. In fact there will be housing for you and any family you might have.

I can give you a few days to talk with anybody that might be affected by your move, but I'm going to need an answer by the end of next week Captain. I hope you make the right decision." offered the General.

"Yes Sir." replied Harm.

Harm returned to his office. He wondered what he was going to do now. One would think it was a no brainer, at least from the General's perspective. It clearly was the best possible position and command he could ever hope for.

It was a position that included a promotion to Captain. It usually entailed a three to five year commitment, it could lead to being the next JAG of the Navy/Marines. It wasn't a command position one turned down and stayed in the Navy.

Seven of the last eight JAGs had held this position at some point in their career before becoming the JAG. What was he going to do? How could he possibly give up this opportunity? If he didn't though, he would have to give up time with his family, the family he had just discovered.


	11. Chapter 11

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part eleven Harm leaves the Navy ... or does he?

Thursday

31 Aug 2006

Harm's office

In the end as great as the opportunity was to have his own command, he couldn't make that decision on his own. He had to talk it over with Sarah. He had after all asked her to marry him.

He needed to include her in any decision he was going to make regardless of whether or not he stayed in the Navy and accepted a command of his own. Whatever decision he made would affect her too.

If he took this command, how would it affect their plans to get married? Would they even get married? Would Sarah be content that they wouldn't see each other very much over the next few years?

It wouldn't be fair to ask her to give up her own command. It had been recently created and was a very important new command. It had been specifically designed to be all inclusive of marine and navy personnel.

It was the new structure for all future Jag commands. He also had to remember what his number one priority was, spending more time with his children.

It would have been one thing if he had been a part of their lives since they were born, but he had just met them a few months ago and they were a part of his life now.

He might have been able to rationalize being away from them for a couple of years to further his career if he had always been a part of their lives, but things were different. He hadn't been there.

He had missed their whole lives up until now and he didn't want to miss any more of their lives if he didn't have to. It wouldn't be fair to him or to them.

He had to admit it was very tempting to take the promotion and the command position. Three months ago it would have been a no brainer, but his life had changed as a result of the time he had spent in San Diego assisting Sarah in setting up her new command.

He needed to call Sarah. He had to talk to her about what to do. Maybe she could come to Washington for the long holiday weekend and maybe bring the kids along? They could see all the historical sights of Washington.

He and Sarah could spend the day together before sitting down and talking about their future. He missed them all so much. It didn't take long before he had Sarah on the phone.

He was quite nervous. How would he be able to tell her about the conversation he had with the General? How would she react when she heard the news about his promotion and a command of his own?

This wasn't just some new assignment, this was a life altering event. He was talking about leaving the Navy to probably staying in for another sixteen years.

He was talking about having a life with the woman he love and a family he cherished to maybe living a life alone for the rest of his life.

No, that would never happen. No way would he give up a life with Sarah and the kids. There might be some logistics to work out, but he would never live alone for the rest of his life. He would find a way if he needed to.

"Hello, Colonel MacKenzie speaking." greeted Sarah as she answered the phone.

"Sarah, It's Harm, I need to talk to you." replied Harm as he heard her sweet, angelic voice on the other end.

"What's the matter Harm? Is everything alright?" she asked worriedly.

"The General isn't mad at you? You didn't do something wrong?"

"Everything is fine here Sarah, something very important has come up here in Washington. I need to talk to you about it, but I don't want to talk about it over the phone. Is there any way that you could come to Washington? It's very important?" asked Harm tentatively.

"I'm sure I can get away for a few days. Caitlin and Meg have everything running smoothly here. Should I bring the kids?" she asked after agreeing to his request. It would be nice to see him again, she missed him terribly, as did all the kids.

"That would be great Sarah, I've missed them all so much. How about this weekend?" asked Harm.

"This weekend? That's kind of short notice." she replied.

"It's very important. It can't wait." he told her.

"Sure Harm, I'll square things away with Meg and Caitlin. I'll be there tomorrow night." replied Sarah.

"Thank you Sarah. We can talk tomorrow night and maybe go sight seeing Saturday. I love you Sarah." thanked a relieved Harm as he released the breath he was holding.

"I love you too Harm, we'll see you tomorrow." cooed Sarah.

It had only been a few days, but she missed him so much. She would do anything to be with him. She wondered though what was so important that he needed to see her tomorrow. Why couldn't it wait a week or two?

Friday

1 Sept 2006

Harm's office

Washington DC

The next day Sarah walked into JAG headquarters in civilian attire. She had just left the kids with Trish in a five-bedroom house that the Burnets owned in the area. They had flown in late last night after Harm had called.

She had thought about bringing the children with her to surprise Harm, but thought twice about it. How would she have been able to explain to the General who the children were? They were all Harm's children, but they were not all hers.

She wasn't married to Harm nor was he married to any of the children's mothers. It would only cause confusion and possibly have career threatening ramifications, none of which could possibly be good.

She stopped at one of the desks to ask one of the petty officers where Harm's office was, but before she could find her way there she was stopped by the General who was surprised to see her in the bullpen area.

"Colonel, I'm surprise to see you here in our fair city, what may I ask brings you here? I'm not aware of any events or meetings that might cause you to come here." asked the General with a slight smile.

He had an idea that it might involve Rabb. After all he did mentioned that his life priorities had changed after working with the Colonel for three months. Rabb had said he needed some time to think over the offer of a promotion and a new command position.

It would made sense that he would need to talk to someone if he really did need time to ponder his decision. Maybe the Colonel was the special lady in his life now.

"Sir?" she replied a little confused.

"I'm here visiting friends. Also my son wanted to see the country capital. He's starting fourth grade this year and will be doing a report on the historic sights of the city this year. I thought it might be a good time to visit since this is a long weekend Sir."

"That's nice Colonel. So how is your command doing? Do you think you could meet with me while you're here and fill me in?" asked the General smugly as he was looking to gather more information to the real reason she was here.

"I'm not sure Sir. My schedule is pretty tight. I'm here with my mother in law to be and five children. I don't like leaving her alone with them for too long. They can be quite a handful." replied Sarah not realizing the slip she had made.

"Your mother in law? I didn't know you were married or are you engaged to be married Colonel?" snickered the General at this juicy piece of information. Rabb and MacKenzie huh?

"What? Uh ... I'm not married Sir, but I did get engaged earlier this year. If you would excuse me Sir, I have a meeting with Commander Rabb. I have a few personnel decisions I need to discuss with him." replied Sarah hoping to change the subject away from her.

"You mean Captain Rabb, don't you Colonel. He's been promoted and has been offered a choice command in Europe." smiled the General as he continued to look for any further signs of her relationship with Rabb.

"No Sir, I wasn't aware of the Commander's promotion. I'm sure he was quite surprise when he heard the good news Sir. I was under the impression that he was planning on retiring Sir.

The Commander was quite disappointed that he wasn't going to make Captain before he retired. It had been one of his life long dreams Sir." replied Sarah solemnly with her Marine face in place.

She wasn't going to show any emotion about the news the General had just dropped on her. She was happy, disappointed, and a little confused on the inside. Now she knew why Harm wanted to talk to her in person. This was too big, too important to talk about over on the phone.

She also didn't want the General to know about her relationship with Harm. It was still too new and too fresh. She didn't want it influencing anyone's decisions, nor did she want anyone's input on their relationship.

"Very well Colonel, dismiss. Have a nice visit in Washington." smiled the General as he tried to gauge any reaction she might give him.

Mac quickly took off for Harm's office where she found him quietly working at his computer. She knocked on the doorframe before entering his office at the sound of his voice. It was a voice she had come to love.

"Sarah!" cried out Harm as he stood up to greet her.

Sarah closed the blinds before walking over to Harm.

"Captain." smiled Sarah as she reached up to pull Harm's head down to meet her kiss.

"You know?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her. He was so happy she was here. She felt so good in his arm, she smelled so nice.

"The General caught me on the way to your office. He told me about your promotion and new command." smiled Sarah.

"Somehow he's under the impression that I'm involved in your decision making process. Why would he think that Harmon?"

"I have no idea Sarah other than I asked him for a few days to think about it. I had told him that I was considering retirement. I didn't think I had a future in the Navy.

He told me that I was being considered for several commands. Having me assist you in setting up your command helped the powers to be decide on which command I was most suitable for. I guess I was wrong." replied Harm.

"Do you think you can get away for lunch? I don't really like the idea of talking about your future, our future, here in your office. The walls are thin and I don't want to give anyone any ideas." smiled Sarah.

"I know just the place. It's a cozy little Italian Restaurant." replied Harm as he returned a smile of his own.

Harm grabbed his cover and escorted Mac out of his office to the elevator. He walked closely behind her, as a man in love would with his wife.

The General walked out of the office at that precise moment. He nodded to himself that he might be right about his assumption of Rabb and MacKenzie.

He wondered if maybe he might have to come up with an alternative plan in case Rabb decided not to accept his new assignment. The SecNav and the CNO really wanted Rabb in London. He wondered how far they would go to ensure that Rabb would accept his new assignment.

Antonio's Italian restaurant

Georgetown

Twenty minutes later Harm and Sarah were seated at a cozy little table in the corner. Sarah was eating a plate of pot roast, mash potatoes, and peas. Harm went with something a little lighter, pasta and chicken steak.

"I've missed you Sarah, did you bring the kids with you?" smiled Harm.

"I've missed you too Harm. They're here with your mother and Frank. It seems they have a five-bedroom place just outside the city limits. They miss you too." smiled Sarah.

"I hate being away from them Sarah." replied Harm glumly.

"They understand Harm. They know it comes with serving in the military. But I want you to remember one thing Harm, up to a couple of months ago you were someone they didn't know.

You were someone they knew existed in their mind, but they had never met. Now they know that you are real. They know you love them. They know you will be there for them if they need you." replied Sarah trying to reassure him that it was alright.

"I'm still torn about whether or not I should accept the promotion and the command. Until a couple of days ago I didn't think I was worthy or should I say had blown any opportunity I might have had of making Captain years ago." sighed Harm.

"I want to spend more time with the kids. I've missed so much of their lives already, I don't want to miss any more if I can help it." finished Harm.

Sarah knew she had to be patient, she needed to let Harm express all his concerns before she could honesty give him any sound advice.

"Harm, it's okay to be confused. You didn't even know you had any other children besides Sandy. Mike, Henry, Beth, and Heather were confused too. They always wondered why you weren't around like their friends' dads.

They wondered what was wrong with themselves. They wondered what they had done wrong because you weren't there. It's hard to explain to young children that when two people are in the military they can't always be stationed together.

They can accept any decision that you make because they know that you are real and that you love them. They can accept that you will be gone if you decide to take your new assignment because you're real to them now.

I think you should take your new assignment Captain. You've dreamed about making Captain your whole life. It's a good command that will lead you to becoming the JAG in a few years.

The kids can spend their summers with you while you're in London. Meg, Caitlin, and I can arrange to spend a few weeks apiece with them while they're with you. It will be good for them, good for you, and good for us.

I'm sure you can find time to visit us a few times a year when the kids have vacation. If you really want it Harm, we can make it work." concluded Sarah.

"What about us Sarah? We were talking about getting married. What's going to happen if I decide to take the promotion and a new command?" asked Harm nervously. He could deal with anything if he knew Sarah was going to be there for him.

"I'm not going to let you off the hook that easy Captain. I still want to marry you even if it means we're living five thousands miles apart. The good news is if you stay in the navy we can get married in the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis liked your mother and father did.

We'll probably have to wait until the spring. I want you in your dress whites. That is unless you know someone who can pull a few strings at the academy so we can get married before the end of September?" smiled Sarah.

It was the biggest and most beautiful smile Harm had ever seen. Her face lit up so brightly

"Oh I know one or two people who might have enough pull to sway the Chaplin." smiled Harm.

"I better get back before the General gets any wiser." smiled Harm as he gave her a kiss.

"Here's the address to the house we're staying at Harm. Don't be too late, the children will want to see you." offered Sarah before kissing Harm goodbye.

A little while later Harm walked to his office. He had just about reached it when he heard the General yell "Rabb, my office!"

Harm hurried to the General's office and knocked before entering.

"Have a seat Rabb. I take it everything went alright at lunch." the General smirked. He wanted to see how much Rabb would squirm.

"Yes Sir." replied Harm with a puzzled look.

"So did the Colonel give you permission to accept your new position Captain?" smiled the General. It was more of a statement rather than a question.

"I don't know what you mean Sir. The Colonel is just a friend Sir." replied Harm. Sarah had cautioned him about the inferences the General had made earlier about their relationship.

"Don't give that crap Rabb, I know the real reason she's here." bellowed the General.

"Sir, she was just giving me advice. She was recently a trial lawyer. Now she's in a command position. She was telling me about the pitfalls of being an administrator instead of the excitement of trying cases.

She was telling me about the challenges of managing personnel and administering an office. She said the transition could be made easier if you have the right personnel in your command Sir." answered Harm.

He hoped the General was buying this bull, he was having a hard time believing it himself.

"Huh, huh, you know you can take personnel from this office with you Captain. I don't mind bringing in a few new fresh faces and giving them some of the advantages of being here in Washington. So have you made a decision Captain?" expounded the General.

"No Sir, I'm still contemplating all my alternatives Sir. I'm sure I'll have an answer for you at the beginning of next week Sir." replied Harm.

"Okay Captain, I can wait. I'm having a barbeque on Monday. I expect to see you and the Colonel there." the General smirked.

"Sir?" replied Harm feigning ignorance.

"Make sure it happens Rabb." ordered the General.


	12. Chapter 12

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

part 12 Decisions to be made

Harm spent Friday night talking with all the kids. He wanted to know what had been happening in their lives since he had last seen them. They all had stories to tell him. Little Sandy never left her father's lap until she fell asleep.

Harm spent Saturday with Sarah and the kids. They toured Washington DC visiting all the national historical sites. They took a lot of pictures to show their friends when they returned to San Diego.

The kids were amazed at what they saw. There was so much to see and it was all within a few miles unlike San Diego where everything was spread out over hundreds of miles. They were able to walk to many of them. They ended up at the Wall where they saw Harm's father's name listed.

He told them about the story of how his father had flown during the Viet Nam War. He told them he had been shot down and was declared missing in action when he was only five years old on Christmas leave.

He told them about the letter tapes that his father made during his time aboard an aircraft carrier telling Harm about his life on board a carrier and how much he loved his son.

They spent time at the Naval Historical Museum and the Museum of Flight where Harm spent time talking about all the different aircraft and their significant contribution to flying and to combat.

Sunday morning they took a trip to Annapolis to see the Naval Academy where Harm and his Father had gone. He told them about the history of Annapolis and it's place in training the leaders of tomorrow. They toured the campus.

Harm arranged for them to take a ride on one of the racing yachts. They spent a couple of hours sailing across the bay before returning to the academy pier.

Frank had taken the boys sailing before in one of his yachts, but it didn't compare to sailing with their father on a real racing yacht. It was a fun day shared by all.

Before the day ended Harm showed Sarah the Academy Chapel. Sarah was amazed at its beauty. Everything she had ever heard about it was true. More than ever she wanted to get married there.

After the conversation about the General on Sunday night, they decided to get married in the Spring. They didn't want to confirm any of the General's suspicions. They could wait until then. They knew their love would last forever.

The next morning they left early for the airfield where Harm kept his Stearman bi-plane name Sarah. It was sitting out on the tarmac waiting for Harm to take her up. He wanted to take them flying before heading over to the General's house.

He wasn't too happy about going to the General's house. He would have rather been spending more quality time with Sarah and the kids, instead he would have to spend some time smooching with coworkers with whom he shared little in common with outside work.

Sarah wasn't too please either. It meant she would have to delay her flight plans and make alternate travel plans. She would have to return San Diego Tuesday morning with the kids rather than late Monday afternoon as planned.

She would have to call Meg and Caitlin to explain the change in plans and hoped that they wouldn't be too upset.

She knew going to the barbeque was some sort of ploy by the General to get additional info on their relationship. Fortunately she was able to coach the kids about not revealing their parentage.

They all had noticed the name on the plane, Sarah. Even Sarah thought it made a statement about his feelings for her, Harm explained to all of them that the plane was named after his grandmother, not Henry and Beth's mother.

He gave them a crash course about airplane safety and what was going to happen when they were up there. He started with Mike, then Henry, Heather, Beth, and finally little Sandy who sat in Sarah's lap.

With each one he took up he went through a few maneuvers and allowed each one of them to do one or two maneuvers depending on their comfort level. As much as he would have liked to fly all day with them, he knew he had to cut the day short at 1300 hours so that they could make it back to the General's house.

1500 hours

General Creswell's house

A couple hours later they arrived at the General's house. The boys were starving and were ready to eat a horse. Harm tried to convince them not to eat the beef burgers. They of course laughed at him.

They had heard stories from grandma Trish that Harm was the champion burger eater of all time when he was growing up. At one point it seemed that he ate them everyday. The girls were ready more for a snack than a full meal.

Mike and Henry were ready to run to the back yard as they smelled the burgers cooking on the grill. Sarah, though, would have no part of that. They would arrived at the General's party with the discipline of the Marine corp.

Any activities that they participated in would be conducted in the appropriate manner. With that instruction they went around to the back of the house to join the party.

The General greeted them as they made their way to the patio. The General introduced his wife and daughter Cammy, who was eighteen and quite beautiful. Sarah made the introduction of their clan.

"This Mike, he is Commander Caitlin Pike's son. This is my son Henry and his sister Beth. This young lady is Heather, she is Commander Meg Austin's daughter. And finally this little one is Harm's daughter Sandy."

"This a particularly large group of children you have amassed here Colonel." snickered the General.

"Not at all Sir. I'm a marine." replied Sarah as if there was no need for any further explanation.

She noticed the General studying the children, to see if there was anything in common, to see if any of them might look like Rabb.

"It was nice of you to invite us Sir." she added.

"Not at all Colonel. I hope you have a few minutes to fill me in. I'm interesting to hear about how the assimilation of navy and marine Jags into one unit is going. Command is hoping that all Jags Commands in the future will be able to follow your example." smiled the General.

"It will have to be a very short talk Sir. It has been a very long weekend already Sir. The children are tired and an early night is plan. We have an early flight out of Dulles tomorrow morning." replied Sarah.

The General turned to face the young Rabb children. He was amazed to see how tall the boys were and the girls weren't exactly small either.

"So I heard you had a busy weekend, what did you do?" asked the General.

"We toured the city Saturday. We visited all the historical sites." began Mike.

"We went to Annapolis on Sunday. We toured the campus before the Captain took us out on a racing yacht. It was great. He taught us how to raise the different sails, how to jib, how to check for the wind, and everything else involved with racing." smiled Henry.

"I want to go to Annapolis when I grow up." added Beth.

"It's not very easy to get into Annapolis. You have to know someone or have a family member who attended Annapolis." smiled the General.

"My daddy went there Sir. He said I could go there if mommy says it's okay." smiled Beth.

"We went flying today." chimed in Heather who was feeling neglected.

"We did loopy doopy." chirped Sandy as the general looked to Mac for clarification.

"Harm took the children up in his bi-plane this morning. He allowed them to do some aerial stunts like a roll over, loop de loop where they fly upside down like a backward somersault, and a few other common maneuvers." smiled Sarah.

"My, you all have had a busy weekend." he smiled.

"Yes Sir, and we're really hungry." smiled Mike as the General started wondering where he had seen that smile before.

"I bet you are son. Very well, dismiss. Enjoy the barbeque." laughed the General before turning back to Harm and Sarah. The children ran to the picnic area and loaded up their plates with food and drink.

"You have some very fine children there Captain." the General began his intelligence gathering.

"I'm only the escort Sir. Only one of them is mine. Two of them are the Colonel's. The other two belong to two of her officers Sir." replied Harm recognizing what the General was trying to do.

"I don't know Captain. Thos two boys look a lot alike. They also look like you." he argued.

"Really Sir? I thought they both looked like their mothers." Harm replied matter of fact.

"Colonel?" asked the General looking for confirmation.

"Sir, I didn't know the Captain until you assigned him to me a few months ago. I might have met him before at some Jag conference, but I do not remember when Sir." replied Sarah.

The General didn't say any more. He left Harm and Sarah to mingle with his guest and get something to eat. He kept an eye on them for the rest of the afternoon. He hoped to get a better understanding of their relationship.

1900 hours

It was starting to get late. Sarah wanted to get the children back to Trish's home to get the children ready for bed. Morning would be coming soon enough and she still had some packing to do. She also wanted to spend some alone time with Harm before she left.

She went over to the General to tell him she getting ready to leave in a few minutes. She wanted to say goodbye and thank him for giving her the opportunity of having her own command.

"Sir, it's been a pleasure seeing you again. I wanted to thank you for giving me my own command. I have enjoyed setting it up and working with people I trust. Harm and I need to leave. The children need to get ready for bed. We have an early flight out of Dulles tomorrow morning." Sarah thanked the General.

"It was nice to see you again Colonel. You earned your command, it wasn't given to you. Before you go Colonel I want to talk to you about another thing." replied the General.

"Yes Sir." acknowledge Sarah hoping he wasn't going to talk to her again about Harm and her.

"I'm sure you and the Captain have something special together. It's okay Colonel. I can see that Henry and Mike must be his sons. They look too much like him not to be. I'm sure Beth must be his daughter too since she's your daughter.

None of that concerns me Colonel. I'm not even concerned if you and the Captain want to get married in the future. If you do, I'm sure that I can arrange something with the SecNav so that you can be stationed somewhere much closer to him.

Unfortunately I can't arrange anything for you right now. I need you in your current position for at least a year. It's too important for the navy and marines commands to allow you to transfer right now. Your command is how we want all JAG commands to be like in the future.

It has to be done right the first time and be a model for the rest of JAG, there is no room for failure here. So when the time comes in another year and you want to be with him, let me know." offered the General.

"Yes Sir, thank you Sir." replied Sarah, too stunned to talk.

2200 hours

Burnett Residence

Harm and Mac were in bed. It had been a long day and they both were quite tired. They still had a few things they needed to work out before Sarah left.

"I had an interesting conversation with the General before I left." began Sarah.

"Really, what did the midget have to say." asked Harm as he gave her a kiss.

"Come on Harm be nice. He did bring us back together. If he hadn't asked you to assist me in setting up my command you would have never known about the kids. You would still be a grumpy middle age man.

Now you have a wonderful woman who loves you and five children who love you. The General has given you the best command possible. Eight of the last ten JAGs have had that command before becoming the JAG." reasoned Sarah.

"You're right Sarah, it's just I'm going to miss all of you. I've missed so much of their lives already. I don't want to miss any more." moaned Harm.

"That's what I want to talk to you about. The General knows that there is something between us. He can't do anything about it right now because he needs me to get the joint services JAG command going and for it to be successful. It's too important. It has to work.

But what he told me was, after a year he would find me a duty station near you in London. It would be a perfect wedding present after we get married in the spring. We've waited this long, another year won't matter. We have the rest of lives to be together." offered Sarah.

"I love you Marine." replied Harm.


	13. Chapter 13

_Title: __**Do You Believe in Surprise Endings **_

Author: _rooster dawn_

Pairing: Harm and anyone who was around at the time

Alternative Universe : Harm and Mac don't work together. They meet at pivotal times in Harm's life.

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright

infringement intended.

_Summary: Harm is a Naval Aviator. With it comes a cocky attitude and the makings of an international playboy. Will his actions catch up to him? _

_Author's note: Harm and Mac look back on their lives that have gone in opposite directions. They meet again and come to a surprising conclusion._

_Author's note 2: Many of the chapters are a reflection of what happened in the character's lives over the last ten years._

_Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness._

__

epilogue

20 May 2007

Naval Academy Chapel

Annapolis, Maryland

The day had come. The day all the young Rabb children had been waiting for. Harm and Sarah were getting married. For some of them it meant they would be seeing with their father everyday.

For the others it meant they wouldn't be seeing each other as often as before. They had all built up a special brother and sister bond with each other. Now they would be separated by nearly six thousand miles. They didn't know how often they would be seeing each other.

Sarah, Meg, and Caitlin had assured the kids that they would make sure that they spent time together each year. There was ten weeks in the summer. There was ten days at Christmas. There were spring and winter vacations.

Sarah took advantaged of the General's offer last fall and had informed him in February that she and Harm were planning on getting married in May. The General had worked his magic and found her a senior position in the Intelligence Department stationed in London.

Her ability to speak ten languages including Russian, Farsi, and Arabic fascinated the Intelligence group. She also had a thorough understanding of Middle Eastern Culture. Her previous work in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan was outstanding.

They welcomed the opportunity to have her working for them. Her education and skills were special and very much needed in the war on Terrorism.

As for the wedding itself, it went off without a hitch. Jack Keeter was Harm's best man. He was Harm's room mate at the academy and had stayed best friends ever since.

Meg Austin was Sarah's matron of honor. Henry and Mike were groomsmen. Beth and Heather were the bridesmaid. And little Sandy was the flower girl.

The wedding went off without a hitch as all the Rabb children performed their roles with marine precision. Henry and Mike escorted their mothers and Trish to their seats.

Sandy tossed rose petals as she walked down the aisle in her white dress with roses on it. Beth and Heather followed wearing a white dress like Sandy with red roses. They also carried a bouquet of small roses. Heather's were white and Beth's were red.

Sarah followed Meg down the aisle on Frank's arm. She was the most beautiful bride that Harm had ever seen. He was mesmerize to the point it took a poke in the ribs to take Sarah's hand when it was offered to her.

He gave Sarah a kiss before they turned to face the Chaplin. It was a short ceremony with both of them saying their vows. They were both thankful that they found each other after so many years apart and would be spending the rest of their lives together.

The Chaplin pronounced them man and wife. Harm gave Sarah a long passionate kiss. They walked through the arch of swords after they left the church. They greeted all their guests, all two hundred of them who wished them all the happiness in the world.

They had the reception at the officer's club. Everyone had a wonderful time. For many of them it had been a long time since they had seen each other, especially Harm or Sarah.

Many of the sailors were people who went to the academy with Harm or were people he served with aboard aircraft carriers. There were many marines that Sarah had served with in Bosnia, Japan, and other exotic places.

Harm and Sarah were going on their honeymoon for two weeks. Henry, Beth, and Sandy were going to stay at the Burnett estate outside of DC. Meg and Caitlin agreed to let Mike and Heather stay with them for the two weeks.

It would be along time before they would see each other again. Meg and Caitlin thought it would be good for them to spend some time with their siblings and be able to say goodbye on their own terms.

23 May 2027

Naval Academy Chapel

Annapolis, Maryland

It was a very special day. Elizabeth MacKenzie Rabb was getting married to her academy sweetheart, Charles MacIntire. She, like her brothers Mike and Henry, had attended the Naval Academy with her sister Heather.

Henry and Mike had gone on to become fighter pilots like their father. They were highly decorated pilots. Both were squadron commander of their fighter wing. Both were expected to some day become CAGs.

Heather and Beth had become lawyers like their mothers. They were up and coming stars in JAG. Of course having their father being the former JAG could help their careers greatly.

Though currently neither one of them were stationed at JAG headquarters in DC. Beth had been stationed in Europe while Heather was stationed inn Hawaii.

Sandy had graduated from the academy the week before. She hadn't decided what she wanted to do. She wanted to do something different, maybe something like what her mother Jordan had done.

Harm had been the JAG for ten years before retiring four years ago. Sarah had put in another five years before retiring from the marines. She wanted to spend more time with her children before they left the nest. They were the most important things in her life.

Harm and Sarah were happy to see their little girl getting married. She had always been very special. Now she would be the first one to be married. Henry and Mike were expected to get married in the fall. Heather still hadn't found that special man yet.

**__**

The End


End file.
